Alan Ritchson is in between Reacher premieres right now, but we know Season 5 is already in the works. The very much renewed Amazon Prime series is expected to film into December, and its star is trying to stay fit for the long haul. Yet, he says he’s trying to do it without major “strain,” a practice he learned after a harrowing injury during the first season of the popular action series.

In fact, it sounds as if the actor still vividly remembers the day he broke his shoulder while filming, and the ramifications it had for him for the rest of Season 1. He was under contract, they had a show to make, and unfortunately, there was no time to get surgery in the middle of filming a slew of complex fight scenes that — you guessed it – often required him to use his shoulder.

If you’re a Ritchson fan, this may be common knowledge for you. He’s mentioned in passing he had surgery after Season 1 of Reacher before, but I guess I just didn’t realize the timeline of when that injury happened or what it actually meant for him when they were filming the show. I know he's a tough cookie. He's mentioned getting bruised and battered on set before, but filming through a broken shoulder is something else entirely.

In a long-ranging interview with Thomas Delaur podcast, he explained what was going with his shoulder during actual filming in a way that makes me want to go back and rewatch to see if I can spot it.

Ritchson has run fans through his workouts before. He does a lot of recovery work that helps him remain jacked without tearing his body up. He's smart about his fitness choices. Sometimes he’s doing up to a 100 reps of certain exercises but at a lower weight in order to get his pump in, a fact I as an 8-10 rep gym girlie, find fascinating.

The actor has said he thinks Reacher is just getting started, and it could go on for a long time. But the caveat to that is his body must hold up. It sounds like he’s doing the things to make sure an experience like he had in Season 1 isn’t repeated.

Now excuse me while I go back and rewatch Season 1 of Reacher with my Amazon Prime subscription and see if I can spot him fighting through that injury.

As much as I love staying up to date with what’s on the 2026 TV schedule, I always like having a throwback comedy in my rotation as a comfort watch. Two longtime favorites that I’ve rewatched all the way through are Friends and New Girl, and of course they are, as they’re two of the best sitcoms of all time. I was surprised lately to come across a new TV show for the first time in a while that hits all the hilarity of being a young grown up like they did. That show is FX’s Adults.

Every Generation Needs A TV Friend Group, And I Found Gen Z’s In Adults

I didn’t seek out Adults. And yet, when I clicked play on a lazy weeknight, it wasn’t long until I was hooked and blasting through both seasons, the second of which ended on a jaw-dropping cliffhanger. The premise is simple. It’s about the shenanigans of a friend group in their twenties who are all living in the same house together. Funny enough, it's the childhood home of one of them.

I may be a tad past their age group as a Zillennial, but that doesn’t stop the blast of a show this is to watch. There are only two sparse seasons of this show, and I already find myself wanting to rewatch them over and over. It has the exact ingredients New Girl and Friends have that have led to repeat viewings. It’s the feeling of watching this found family go through funny stuff together and deal with all these cringey things. It’s relatable, cathartic and I can’t believe it almost took a decade for a new show like this to come out. I guess we need one per generation!

Adults Is Impacting My Vocabulary Just Like Its Comedy Forefathers Intended

I could gush about Adults for tons of different reasons, but I think one way it really earns the same praise as Friends and New Girl is the ways in which it creates words and phrases for our vocabulary. I’m talking about the way Friends gave us new meanings for “lobster,” “We were on a break!” or “pivot”. Or how New Girl changed the way I thought about “29”, “Fluffer” or “Pogo”. Now, there are a few for Adults. Here are some examples:

• Friend Slut: Someone who makes friends with everyone shallowly because they deeply need to be liked by everyone.
• Mind Wipe: Telling a friend your innermost thoughts without judgement from them.
• Hehe: “Haha” is for work, and “hehe” is for sex.

These are so good! Ever since hearing them in Adults, I want to get more people to watch so we can quote some of these together. So, get on it!

You know what else I realized? I think these little phrases have all worked for these beloved shows because it kind of feels like this shared inside joke, as you’d have with your own group of friends. That's all without mentioning the many quotable moments and bits that now live in my head and come back to me when I'm sitting in traffic.

From Billie trying to make a roast chicken for friends to feel "grown up," to Anton making up a hobby so his co-workers will think he's cool, or Samir pretending he's into his girlfriend's pop music, every episode is so memorable. They are my new comfort characters!

I’m obsessed, and let this be the reason you start it, too. You can watch Adults with a Hulu subscription right now, and wait with anticipation with me for it to get renewed for Season 3. Last time it did take a few months for the renewal news to come in, so I’m not sweating yet.

SPOILERS are ahead for East of Eden, now streaming with a Netflix subscription.

East of Eden aptly opens with Florence Pugh’s Cathy talking about monsters. The discussion is raised in a voiceover as Cathy’s multi-generational saga with the Trask brothers starts with her crawling to their doorstep after almost being beaten to death.

Is Cathy a monster herself? And, did the show soften the classic book character? This is one of the big debates of the series as we watch the character burn her parents alive, poison a woman and abandon her sons as babies. Naturally, I had to ask one of the show’s directors about the big, popular East of Eden topic.

The Director’s Take On Cathy In East Of Eden

East of Eden is one of the most excellent series I’ve seen on the 2026 TV schedule, and Garth Davis shared directing duties with Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre on it – specifically tackling the first four episodes. He's also very familiar with the Cathy “monster” debate. Here’s where he stands:

I think it's obvious Cathy’s behavior would earn her the label "monster." But, it’s also more complicated than that. As the series communicates throughout, being human means things are seldom black and white. Two things can be true at once. Cathy can be a monster, and she can be a severely wounded person, worthy of the audience's empathy. She can also be softer than the book and still be monstrous, which is something I'm not sure the online discourse has totally acknowledged.

From Davis's point of view, it's complicated.

This is exactly where I found myself by the end of East of Eden. On one hand, I was completely terrified and appalled by Cathy's actions. On the other hand, I could understand where she was coming from by the end as well.

Yes, she’s a sociopath, but I think the show does an excellent job of examining how human nature creates monsters rather than “evilness” being an uncomplicated trait thrust upon people at random. Davis’s comments to CinemaBlend reinforce this.

There's Also More To Cathy In The Netflix Series

I think there’s also an important distinction that needs to be made between what the series does with Cathy and what’s in John Steinbeck’s classic novel when speaking to this debate. Book-to-screen adaptations always have changes from their source material, and East of Eden is no exception.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Pugh confirmed that in her version of Cathy, she was abused at the age of five, and that’s the real reason for her lack of empathy for others. In Pugh’s own words:

While this part of Cathy’s backstory is never explicitly mentioned in the book, there’s certainly some parts that could point in that direction. It explains how people who may have read the book first would think Cathy might be born evil, whereas TV show viewers can perhaps sympathize more, simply because her character was given more context.

I know I won’t be forgetting Florence Pugh’s excellent performance as Cathy in East of Eden anytime soon. Or the continued resonance of John Steinbeck’s classic story, now told through a new lens.

Ted Lasso made its triumphant return to the 2026 TV Schedule in August with an outstanding fourth season that served to reboot the series after its temporary ending in Season 3. With the focus of the new season being on Richmond’s new women's football team, it’s no surprise that several fan-favorite characters weren’t asked to return or had brief cameos, like Phil Dunster’s Jamie Tartt. However, the creative team did hope to bring back one star: late actor Anthony Head.

Anthony Head had been a part of Lasso since Season 1, playing the role of Richmond’s former owner and Rebecca’s (Hannah Waddingham) ex-husband, Rupert Mannion. The iconic actor appeared in the first three seasons in some capacity, often serving as an antagonist. In an interview with co-creator and Ted Lasso star Brendan Hunt told Deadline:

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor unfortunately passed away at 72 in June 2026 due to complications from pneumonia. Given that the fourth season of Ted Lasso wrapped filming in January 2026, many have wondered whether Head was privately dealing with other health issues before his unfortunate passing.

While Hunt didn’t outright say what the plan was for Head’s character, as a fan of the sports dramedy it’s easy to make some guesses. Though his character was largely ignored this season, Rupert became a hypothetical thorn in Rebecca’s side again when her assistant, Higgins (Jeremy Swift), suspected him of secretly buying AFC Richmond shares in the hopes of regaining control of the football club he believed Rebecca stole from him during their divorce.

Of course, Rupert was a red herring, as Tracey Ullman’s character, Zelda, was the real culprit behind the move, as was revealed in the Season 4 finale. The reveal came to a head at the lackluster shareholders meeting, which is most likely where Head would have appeared. However, one could also make the claim that Head could have appeared in the crowd at the Lady Greyhounds’ final game in an attempt to kickstart a redemption arc for the longtime antagonist if the series were to get picked up for a fifth season. Unfortunately, all of this remains speculation.

Ted Lasso did find a way to honor Anthony Head’s contribution to the series, dedicating the penultimate episode to him and having silence as the credits rolled. It was a poignant moment made even more emotional, given the episode ended with the tragic loss of beloved pub owner Mae (Annette Badland).

Stream Ted Lasso Season 4 in its entirety with an Apple TV subscription now. While there’s no word yet on whether or not the show has been renewed for a fifth season, many fans are hopeful, as there is still so much story to be told with these characters.

Spoilers ahead for Amazon's Carrie show.

Mike Flanagan is behind some of the best horror movies and shows in recent memory. So when it was revealed that he was doing a TV version of Stephen King's Carrie, I was instantly invested. The series is now streaming in its entirety for those with an Amazon Prime subscription, and it didn't disappoint. I mean, I've seen every version of Carrie before, and the filmmaker still found a way to provide plenty of surprises.

Carrie has gotten a number of book-to-screen adaptations over the years, starting with Sissy Spacek's 1978 movie. I've seen them all, from the made-for-TV movie to the 2013 version starring Chloë Grace Moretz. I thought I knew what to expect from the TV version, but Flanagan made sure to put his own spin on it.

Flanagan Put His Spin On Carrie And I Loved Every New Choice

From the very first episode of Carrie, it was clear that Mike Flanagan was taking bold swings. I immediately responded to the framing device of Kate Siegel's Adelaide interviewing Sue and the other survivors about the massacre at Ewen High School's Prom. This was used to great effect in Carrie's season finale, which revealed the fates of Josie Totah's Tina and Samantha Sloyan's Margaret White.

Speaking of Margaret, I loved the way Flanagan adapted the origin of both her and Carrie for the modern world. They were shown as recluses and conspiracy theorists, with Carrie having basically no experience with the world outside her home before starting High School. There was also actual love between the mother/daughter pair, rather than Margaret being solely a villain and abuser of Summer H. Howell's title character.

Mike Flanagan brought a ton of more unique takes to the show's eight-episode season, all of which I think paid off and allowed even the most hardcore Carrie fan to be surprised. Chief among them was the inclusion of new character Emaline, who makes friends with Carrie before later being revealed to have her own powers and a connection to a cult of witches with an interest in Carrie.

That cult, as well as Katee Sackhoff's Amanda, all felt fresh and new, and offered a new take on the massacre at the prom. Add in the fact that Margaret ended up having telekinesis of her own, and my mind was completely blown. The way the character was killed off was also completely new, and chilling in a different way.

Some other surprising moments include Sue actually being in the gym when the massacre occurred, and Carrie being the one to accidentally kill Tommy instead of the empty blood bucket. Add in Emaline helping Carrie to murder her classmates, and there were a bunch of new twists to Stephen King's classic story.

Carrie is streaming in its entirety over on Amazon as part of the 2026 TV schedule. There are a bunch of cliffhangers and lingering questions about the show, so we'll have to see if Amazon ends up giving Mike Flanagan a second season.

One of my most anticipated 2026 movie releases has been Ray Gunn. And, no, it’s not a film about the viral breakdancer, but an animated film from one of Pixar’s most legendary filmmakers, Brad Bird. This new flick is a neo-noir science fiction mystery (such a mouthful) that the writer/director behind The Incredibles and Ratatouille has been trying to make for decades. I had the chance to see it early with a bunch of fellow press members, and I have a theory about the mixed reception its received via its reviews thus far.

As for my thoughts, Bird's latest film is an easy four stars out of five. It’s one of the most visually dazzling and original movies I’ve seen all year (just check out the Ray Gunn trailer), and definitely a highlight in the animation space. I particularly thought it was a treat to see Bird take his expertise with the medium and apply it to an action-packed ride in a world that isn't child-proofed, so to speak. Not all of the reviews match my level of praise, though, as The Hollywood Reporter's Angie Han says about it:

So, here’s my point off the bat. Brad Bird has arguably made some real masterpieces in the world of animation. While I agree Ray Gunn doesn’t best his previous work, why does it have to? My theory is the filmmaker has set a crazy bar for himself, and critics are holding him to it.

The story behind Ray Gunn is that Bird initially wrote the script in the 1990s before it was shelved for decades. It wasn’t until the filmmaker inked a deal with Skydance Animation and Netflix that it was finally made. And, honestly, I'm surprised by how timely the movie feels despite how long ago it was written. Someone else who seems to have enjoyed the film is IndieWire's Kate Erbland:

Bird's film focuses on the titular character -- the final human detective -- and his exploits in a futuristic environment. As part of that, he's enlisted a strong cast, consisting of Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Michelle Rodriguez, Bobby Cannavale and more. Still, the film doesn't seem to be resonating with everyone, as The A.V. Club's Siddhant Adlakha has some brutally honest thoughts:

Critics are always harder on movies, because well… it’s in the job title. While this new movie's social commentary clearly didn’t hit with everyone, I personally don’t think it’s bad enough to knock it. Of course, I always find it super interesting to read reviews, and it allows you and me to think more in depth with what we’re watching. Ray Gunn, to me, feels like one of those hyper-stylized action movies that might fire on all cylinders sometimes, but in my case, that’s kind of why I appreciate it.

On the positive end of things, Next Best Picture's Giovanni Lago, is clearly a fan of the upcoming Netflix 2026 movie release, which arrives this holiday season. As they wrote:

While I totally get the nitpicks, I think Ray Gunn is going to be a lot more beloved by audiences than the reviews point to once it finally comes out. Here’s one take from Awards Radar's Joy Magidson, who also liked the movie:

When considering all of these early reviews, I still can't help but think about my initial point, which is that Brad Bird has set a high bar for himself. So it's definitely fair that expectations for the film have been so high. Nevertheless, I do my best to view the movie on its own merits and see it for what it is.

Anyways, you’ll get to form your own opinion soon enough. Ray Gunn will be streamable with a Netflix subscription on December 18, and before that, it'll open in select theaters on December 4.

Emily Ratajkowski is a model who knows exactly how to make a fashion statement. Whether she rings the summer heat with her stunning bikini pics or give naughty-or-nice energy in red lingerie, the London native knows how to wear eye-popping looks. But, in contrast to her usual dauntless looks, Ratajkowski went for demure vibes with a beaded dress that looks like snakeskin, and I think it’s one of her best fits thus far.

The Ford model is “famously not demure, not mindful,” with each unique outfit she wears, given how ostentatious they can be. I really have to give Ratajkowski (35) credit for always making a splash that leaves a lasting impression. What's even more appreciated, however, is that at the London event for the Clooney Foundation for Justice, Ratajkowski stepped out wearing a truly restrained but striking ensemble — a beaded dress that mimics snakeskin perfectly:

As you can see above, Ratajkowski brought the naked dress trend back, posing with a long-sleeved, floor-length black beaded sheer gown. With her tiny black underwear showing, the glamorous frock’s skin-tight fit fits her like a second skin —snakeskin, that is. She topped off the look with smoky eye makeup and a nude lipstick, and I love how the trendsetter flawlessly blends sensuality with sophistication.

Even though the runway model has fashioned so many ensembles worthy of applause, her Clooney Foundation gown is easily one of my favorites. While Ratajkowski brings hissing (sorry) appeal to serpent attire, she brings a sultry twist to snake-like gowns. With a look this daring, she's essentially shedding her old skin and slithering into the spotlight. (Okay, I promise I'll cut back on the snake puns.)

The Too Much actress previously fashioned sheer looks on many occasions. For example, Ratajkowski made a major fashion appearance rocking a see-through dress at the 2023 Oscar party. She also joined in on the chainmail dress trend with a see-through ensemble that gave major ‘70s vibes. And, most recently, the Marc Jacobs catwalk model looked incredible sporting a sheer summer red dress that was totally eye-catching.

While Ratajkowski never shied away from bold and daring sheer looks, her latest snakeskin gown truly sets her apart from her previous see-through attire. Instead of relying on skin-baring cutouts or not-so-subtle cleavage, the fashionista lets the snakeskin do the talking. In this case, Ratajkowski proves that a little slither of snakeskin can say more than any bare skin ever could. (Fine, I lied about no longer using snake puns.)

Of course, now, I'm curious as to what Emily Ratajkowski will dazzle the masses with next. Awards season is upon us, of course, so we could see her hit some red carpets and show off some amazing fits. For right now, though, I'll just continue to bask in the glow of her chic snakeskin ensemble. Also, those who want to check out Ratajkowski's most recent acting performance can also grab a Netflix subscription and stream Too Much.

If you're using your Netflix subscription as your primary form of entertainment, we've recently gotten two high-profile projects centered on notable criminal cases. Unabomber and Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story are both suspenseful and a blast to watch, but readers should be aware they're both in need of a disclaimer.

With so many outstanding True Crime movies out there, I would hesitate to add either to the list. I lump them together because I think there's an argument that both Lizzie Borden and Ted Kaczynski are painted in a sympathetic light. I wouldn't necessarily have a problem with it if it wasn't established with purely fictional story elements.

I Was Shocked To See So Much Of What I Watched In Both Projects Was Made Up

I watched Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story and how cruel her parents were, and wondered how Lizzie didn't kill them sooner. I'd known going in that Lizzie was accused and acquitted of the murder of her parents, but I had no idea how abusive they were, or the issues that kept Lizzie from being married.

Come to find out, that was all made up for the show. Additionally, there was no evidence Borden had a same-sex relationship with their maid, or that she was an advocate for the women's suffrage movement. Oh yeah, and there was no evidence that serial killer Aileen Wuornos idolized Borden, or even knew who she was.

Unabomber has similar issues, especially in how it presents the idea that Ted Kaczynski's crimes later in life were tied to a psychological experiment he underwent at Harvard. History has more about how this experiment likely had no impact on Kaczynski's views later in life, but no one watching would know that.

Does Netflix Have An Obligation To Its Viewers To Alert Them About "Real Life" Stories That Use Creative License?

I'm aware these two stories aren't the first to take a real event and fictionalize large chunks of it. I came to this realization way back in middle school, when I looked up the real story of Remember the Titans and how it or the characters were nothing like the Disney movie.

That being said, I kept thinking of all the people who saw these two works and probably went about their day unsure if any of it was real or not. It's a shame, because Netflix itself has documentaries that will inform the viewer about the reality behind it all.

To me, it feels like there should be a disclaimer when using real people and events. I guess I would hope the average person would assume the world at large is not as grotesque and cruel as a horror-driven project from Ryan Murphy's studio would portray it, but I don't know that. I think I would just prefer to know there's a disclaimer in all storytelling involving some of the most notable killers, just for caution's sake.

Watch Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story and Unabomber on Netflix. I maintain that both are great, but again, people just need the heads-up that it's not how things really went down.

The Stargate franchise has seen more than its share of starts and stops over the last several years, to say the least. In November 2025, it was announced that Amazon MGM Studios was working on a Stargate revival, with franchise OG Martin Gero set to serve as showrunner. SG fans received some bad news this past June, however, when it was announced the project had been canceled. Now, however, a new retooling of the IP is on the way, and fans – as well as franchise star Michael Shanks – aren’t happy with the situation.

Amazon Moves Forward With A Different Take On Stargate

It was reported this past week that Amazon would move forward with a new Stargate series from writer/producer Jac Schaeffer, who signed an overall deal with the studio earlier this year. Schaeffer is arguably best known for her work on the Marvel Cinematic Universe-set shows WandaVision and Agatha All Along. Specific plot details on the production have not been divulged but, per Variety, the show’s writers’ room is expected to be formed sometime in the near future. As of this writing, the streamer hasn’t commented on the news.

Admittedly, it is surprising to hear that yet another SG series is in the works, especially considering it’s only been a few months since the initial attempted revival met its demise. It’s fair to say that Schaeffer does indeed bring some keen experience when it comes to working within the realm of genre-based TV. However, it seems die-hard fans of the science-fiction franchise aren’t on board with this direction, especially given what’s happened in recent months.

Michael Shanks And Stargate Fans Shared Strong Feelings After The New Show Was Revealed

This year, Shanks – who famously played Daniel Jackson on Stargate SG-1 – spoke out about the cancellation of Gero’s revival and expressed disappointment. As a result, Shanks has been leading the charge when it comes to the “Save Stargate” movement. The Canadian actor, like many others, learned about the new show this week, and he eventually took to X to share a brief, but blunt, response:

As previously mentioned, Shanks wasn’t the only person to weigh in on the prospect of a new Stargate series following the cancellation of Gero’s. Many commented on the news when resharing it, while a number of people shared their displeasure in the comment section of Shanks’ post. Check out some of the reactions below:

• @MatthewKadish: BRO. You literally had the ORIGINAL Stargate creatives locked and loaded and ready to go, and you FIRE them and then choose the F'n WANDAVISION creator to come in and handle it???? WTF Amazon???????????????
• @adamcollings: The stargate we knew and loved is dead. RIP Stargate.
• @52movies: I’m sure they think the passionate fanbase they witnessed will reluctantly watch the new series despite booting the original writers and crew. They are going to find out that yes they executed it.
• @Wisdom_Forge: Remember when producers & studios ACTUALLY cared about Good Storytelling, Great Actors, A Fantastic Plot and Worldbuilding, Storylines that made sense and Respecting The AUDIENCE?!? I will weep softly for what could have been.
• @Nina7Infinity: YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!! I'M CRASHING OUT RIGHT NOW. You decided to get rid of the OG creators of Stargate for someone who came out with one of the WORST Marvel series ever. I CAN'T WITH THIS!!!!!! I won't be watching this garbage.

Something that seems to have fans particularly upset is the notion of Amazon MGM crafting a new Stargate production with a different creative team after the previous revival had a franchise veteran overseeing it. Martin Gero notably wrote for Stargate: Atlantis, SG-1 and Stargate Universe, which became successes amongst the fanbase. Gero also previously specified that his project wasn’t a reboot but a new chapter in the established franchise. By all accounts, Gero was excited to work on the production and spoke about how his career had come “full circle” as a result of the project.

It was alleged that Amazon MGM decided to pull the plug on Gero’s SG project due to it allegedly only appealing to the franchise’s core fanbase. The studio reportedly preferred for the show to reach a broader audience as opposed to what it viewed as a niche group. However, consulting producer Joseph Mallozzi critiqued that reported rationale, saying the creative team was “creating a show that would have broad appeal.”

As for whether Amazon will take any of the Stargate fans’ responses (and that of Michael Shanks) into consideration when making this new show, that remains to be seen. Regardless, though, it seems evident that franchise devotees are going to continue to be vocal about their displeasure over the creative direction of the franchise.

The reviews for The Breadwinner warned me that Nate Bargatze's movie debut wasn't the most progressive of movies, but even that was an understatement. As a fan of the comedian and his past sketches, I decided to watch it when it was available with my Netflix subscription, and it made me so angry as a dad that I almost shut it off a few times.

Beyond a dated message explaining that gender-defined household duties can be bad, The Breadwinner commits a sin I can't overlook. The story revolves around and somewhat idealizes the stereotype of a dad that, quite frankly, I can't believe exists in 2026.

I Can't Imagine Any Happy Family In 2026 In Which The Father Knows Nothing About Basic Chores Or His Children's Lives

There's nothing aggravating about Nate being "the breadwinner" in the movie, but there is something aggravating about the film's repeated hook that it's all he's ever had to do. Even in a family comedy, how much disbelief should we suspend that outside of selling cars, this man knows absolutely nothing about how to run a household?

As a father, I'd be pretty embarrassed if I couldn't prepare eggs for my child without burning them, or do laundry. Not as embarrassed as I'd be if I didn't know basic details about where they go to school, or who their friends were. All of those things happen in the movie, by the way, and it infuriated me.

Nate Could've Definitely Learned How To Do Laundry, Cook Adequately, And Many Other Things In A Month

Don't get me wrong, I get it's a comedy, but it's only funny if Nate is called out for what he actually is. What The Breadwinner will tell you is that Nate is just a man who doesn't know how to do things because he was busy working while his wife handled all that stuff. As he says early in the movie, perhaps because there was an inkling this movie wouldn't go over well, it's not what everyone does, but it works for them.

The reality is, Nate is a man-child. He's given a full month to attempt to learn any of these skills he should've known well before marriage, and yet somehow, by the end of the movie, he still doesn't know how to do any of them.

The Breadwinner resolves all this at the end by showing that Nate let go of his goal of becoming the top salesman at his car dealership in order to help his wife around the house more. The moral? Your husband can be useful at home, ladies, but his work will suffer.

I've seen the show has a high audience score, and honestly, it's probably because people aren't thinking about it as deeply as I am. At the base level, this was made to be a family comedy, and it succeeds in being a movie for all ages.

What I don't like about it as a dad is that there may be a generation of boys who think it's ok if they're clueless about buying groceries or keeping a home clean. These are basic life skills people should maintain, regardless of their job. Nate Bargatze may have some funny one-liners in his stand-up, but I think he needs to take a better look at the scripts he signs on for in the future.

The Breadwinner is available to stream on Netflix. While I can't give it my official seal of approval, I can say that I enjoyed Mandy Moore in it and how the movie referenced her pop roots.

While you’re getting ready to watch your favorite scary movie, this month is more than just candy and costumes. For one actor this month is about the color pink, and no it’s not Reese Witherspoon. Fans have more to celebrate this Halloween season thanks to the long-awaited Practical Magic sequel. While Nicole Kidman is pretty under pink lights, it’s not to promote her return as Gillian Owens, it’s to promote breast cancer awareness month.

The actor has been in Paris in honor of Fashion Week, and in her latest Instagram post, she’s looking absolutely bewitching in pink. During her stay at the five-star luxury hotel The Peninsula Paris, she seized the opportunity to promote the importance of October outside of midnight margaritas and spells. The post is simply captioned, “Pink lights in honor of #BreastCancerAwareness Month,” and really that says it all:

The actor is seemingly moving forward following her divorce from Keith Urban with a series of spellbinding shots showing Kidman aglow in pink lights. The first shot shows her leaning on the railing of the Peninsula Paris, and she’s look just as radiant as she did during the promotion of Practical Magic 2. Other photos show off sunsets, the hotel adorned in pink, and even checking out the “Dancing Roses” display with her daughter Faith. Like Kidman, the hotel is known for spending each October promoting breast cancer awareness by illuminating its façade in a magical pink glow every evening. This is an annual tradition that occurs as part of the hotel’s Peninsula in Pink campaign.

Even the centerpiece of the lobby, a permanent base entitled “Dancing Leaves,” is sporting pink roses as a floral call for awareness. The display was designed by Ludek Hroch for the renowned glassmaker LASVIT and is an important feature of the Peninsula Paris. This is the perfect setting for Kidman to raise awareness, and her post is making fans want to grab an umbrella and take a leap:

• Your home away from home 💕🙏 - @ThePeninsulaParis
• Love you Queen ❤️❤️❤️ - @gwen110304
• girl is absolutely living - @joshua__solberg
• Whatever this female renaissance is I want it 🔥❤️🌹- @galecarmina
• you are the BEST thank you for supporting! 🎀 - @juliavonboehm

Kidman certainly looks at home at the hotel, and it’s understandable given her long history with promoting breast cancer awareness. She is an avid participant in awareness campaigns and a long-time supporter (and often donates) to research programs. The actor also frequently collaborates with the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center on awareness campaigns, fundraising initiatives, and public service announcements on the importance of early detection and personalized treatments. Her dedication stems from a personal place as her mother was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer when she was a teenager and she took time off to care for her during treatments. She also had a minor scare back in 2004.

So while she’s gotten a lot of attention about sporting a ring on THAT finger while at Paris Fashion Week, Kidman’s post is a lovely reminder that this month is more than fashion and midnight drinks. Plus, Kidman would rather not look at another margarita after filming Practical Magic 2. It’s important to her that people are talking about the importance of breast cancer awareness.

Though this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy the scary antics of the month. Even Kidman enjoys a good freezer spell. Just remember to wear pink (or use pink lights) and raise awareness.

Stephen King's novels have been made into various TV shows and movies throughout the years, and those with an Amazon Prime subscription were recently treated to another with Mike Flanagan's Carrie series. Unsurprisingly, the show ended on the infamous prom massacre, where Summer H. Howell's title character uses her telekinetic powers to kill her classmates. The scene is the thing of nightmares, but there were actual dance parties happening while filming it.

Carrie's season finale offered a new book to screen adaptation of the prom scene, with Flanagan once again showing his ability to terrify and move audiences. As you can see in the video above, CinemaBlend spoke to the movie's cast, where Billy Nolan actor Arthur Conti shared the lighter side to shooting the show's bloodiest sequence. In his words:

As terrifying as it was to watch Carrie kill her classmates in the last episode of the Amazon series, it sounds like the cast did have some fun on set. Namely because they all finally got to be in the same place at the same time. Add in the delirium that can come with night shoots, and one can only imagine how many shenanigans and laughs happened as the epic prom sequence was captured on film.

Carrie included a new backstory and plenty of surprising plot twists, even for the most hardcore fan. Still, we all knew that it was building to the prom, and the title character killing both tormenters and innocent classmates by using her telekinetic powers. While the sequence itself was just a few minutes long, it actually took over two weeks to film.

Later in the same interview, Conti and Tommy actor Joel Oulette were asked if the cast let loose with some dance parties on set, and the two laughed and responded by saying:

• Joel Olette: We might have busted down a little bit.
• Arthur Conti: There's a video of that.
• Joel Olette: We always find, find ourselves dancing. Even before it.
• Arthur Conti: We're always dancing, me and him.

This sounds like a great way to unwind, and possibility offer some more B-roll footage of the prom before Carrie is crowned and eventually doused with a bucket of pig's blood. As much as the actors had to scream in pain and terror, it's nice to know that there was so much fun had as well. Maybe I won't have nightmares about that sequence after all.

Carrie is streaming in its entirety on Amazon as part of the 2026 TV schedule. The season finale offered plenty of narrative threads that can be pulled for Season 2, so fingers crossed that Mike Flanagan gets that opportunity.

Megan Fox is the queen of going viral on the regular. Whether she's getting snarky with haters of her racy pics on the Internet or selling her own "feral" soap, she's frequently up to shenanigans, and that's not even getting into the time she's gone crazy viral for setting fashion trends, including lingerie-inspired fits. So, what's next? Selling exclusive content in the same vein as OnlyFans with actual OF founder Tim Stokely? Why not?

News dropped Thursday the Transformers star is getting into a new business with Tim Stokely. And Fox already has proof of the demand she has for her new subscription-based platform. It’s being flooded with so many views it's breaking the internet!

Just hours ago, Megan Fox shared a link to her page on Subs.com where she’ll post exclusive “videos, photos and posts you won’t find anywhere else”. Just after launching the page, along with news that she’s become co-owner of the website with Stokely, she posted this on her Instagram story:

At the time of this writing, it looks to be up and running again, but wow, that was quick! Subs was launched a little over a year ago by Stokely after stepping down as CEO of OnlyFans back in 2021. It’s a similar platform for content creators that offers a place to do business through free and paid subscription tiers. Now the actress is involved, it looks like she could be the name to really put Subs on the map.

Megan Fox has been given “a seat at the table” and is “helping [Stokely] build the platform” (via Page Six). Clearly, her first public day as co-owner is making a huge impression. Fox also made the announcement to her nearly 24 million by diving into a pool and telling us exactly what her new content will be about.

On Subs, fans can follow Megan Fox for free or subscribe to see all her exclusive content for $20 a month. There’s also an option to look at pictures on their own for prices that range from $18 to $88 per post. In an official statement about the launch, Fox said this:

This is Megan Fox’s second big brand deal in less than two weeks. She also launched a campaign with Ro specifically to promote the brand’s erectile dysfunction (ED) treatments. As noted prior, in April she got on the celebrity soap trend with an ad with Dr. Squatch.

When she’s not strutting her stuff, she shares three children, Noah, Bodhi and Journey, with ex-husband Brian Austin Green, and one with ex-MGK (who may or may not be dating Dakota Johnson) named Saga Blade. Fox is attached to the upcoming sequel to Jennifer’s Body with Amanda Seyfried, which is said to be filming soon.

Megan Fox is clearly getting the attention of her fans with her Subs launch. We have to wonder how many clicks it takes to break a website, because holy heck!

The upcoming Harry Potter reboot series is already giving me nostalgic feels. A whole new generation is embarking on a journey into the school of witchcraft and wizardry. This epic endeavor is a lot to place on newcomers, but it’s the adults who are already feeling emotional about the journey ahead. The Harry Potter show’s older cast reveal their hopes for the young stars.

We may still be waiting for the series to premiere, but there is an exclusive special that offers a BTS look and can be watched with an HBO Max subscription. Finding Harry: The Craft Behind The Magic is an inside look at the epic scale of the project and the magic it takes to bring Hogwarts back to life. In an heartwarming clip, three of the core adult cast have spoken fondly about new stars Dominic McLaughlin (Harry), Alastair Stout (Ron Weasley), and Arabella Stanton (Hermione Granger). Albus Dumbledore himself, John Lithgow, is already looking ahead to the future:

As long as the series stays on the same trajectory as the films, which released from 2001 to 2011, a whole generation will have the chance to grow up with these characters. The young cast’s childhood will likely mirror the original trio’s. Many of the adult co-stars from the films became mentors, such as Gary Oldman’s bond with Daniel Radcliffe. So it’s likely that the new cast will grow up seeking advice and guidance from their colleagues a similar way. For some, like Paapa Essiedu (aka our new Professor Severus Snape) this is something that excites him:

This is reflective of the advice Radcliffe had, but for the adults: “Let them be kids still.” Their journey will be a little different than what he had thanks to social media. While he may no longer be The Boy Who Lived, it still important to him that the young cast get to enjoy childhood despite online media attention. Though if the new Professor McGonagall Janet McTeer’s hopes are any indication, they’re striving to create a positive experience for the young stars. As she put it:

I don’t know how anyone could not be emotional after that, but if you watch the clip below you’re definitely going to want tissues. It instantly took me back to the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts. You don’t have to take my word for it, check it out for yourself:

Hopefully McLaughlin, Stout, and Stanton will look back and fondly recalling the advice their co-stars gave them. The fame of Harry Potter may have been up and down for Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, they still speak fondly about their time at Hogwarts. By the looks of things, they’re off to a great start, and perhaps, they’ll take Tom Felton’s funny advice to heart: “Take more pictures.”

For now, let's enjoy the emotional words from the adult co-stars and wish the new cast the best. Remember, Harry Potter will pick out his wand (and prepare for a long battle against Voldemort) when the series hits the 2026 TV schedule on Christmas Day.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are couple goals, but being from two different worlds has proven to be a major challenge across the past decade. As the royals attempt to settle back in the U.K. after their shocking move back after over six years in California, one question keeps coming up. Namely, why is settling in one place always seemingly an issue?

Back in August, the couple allegedly spent $120k on a private jet to move their family back to Prince Harry’s homeland. The decision was made notably after their Hollywood business ventures started to visibly dwindle. It’s only been a little over a month, but here’s what royal expert Duncan Larcombe says of the situation (per Express):

The pair reportedly left the U.K. in 2020 to be financially independent. Although since they've recently have faced struggles like Netflix dropping Meghan’s lifestyle brand and facing a box office flop with their doc Cookie Queens, perhaps they figured it was time to switch things up.

Harry and Meghan reportedly are currently working on establishing a new home in England’s countryside. The move allows Prince Harry to expose his kids to his roots. He’s been keeping busy lately with charity work as Meghan continues to manage her brand and the kids settle into a new school. Markle posted this sweet update following the move:

It’s not easy to live life over 5,000 miles away from your family, but that’s what Meghan Markle is dealing with now that she’s back in the U.K. Her mother Doria reportedly lives on the outskirts of Los Angeles, which used to be driving distance to Prince Harry, Meghan and her two grandkids: seven-year-old Prince Archie and five-year-old Princess Lilibet. Now things are different. As the expert added:

When Prince Harry moved to California he was reportedly dealing with something similar. It’s been reported before that Harry has been missing his “family, his friends and his former existence in the U.K.” and wasn’t loving his life in America.

As the royal expert suggests, geography is always leaving one of the pair unhappy. When they were in California, Harry was seemingly unhappy while Meghan felt at home. Now that they’re back in the U.K., the opposite might become true. It sounds like this could always be a give and take for Harry and Meghan given they come from two different countries and can't be in the same place at once.

But, hey, it’s early days for Harry and Meghan. It takes much longer than a month to settle into living in a completely new country. Surely there will be some growing pains for the family before they settle on whether the move will be permanent.

Throughout the last few years the Marvel Cinematic Universe has continued to expand both in theaters and with live-action shows that are streaming with a Disney+ subscription. One of the most popular has been Daredevil: Born Again, which continued the story of the character who was introduced as part of Netflix's Marvel shows. Star Charlie Cox recently spoke about the show's cancellation, and it's what we've already been thinking.

Back in September it was revealed that Born Again will end after Season 3, with showrunner Dario Scardapane departing ahead of the post-production process. Charlie Cox recently took to the stage at New York Comic Con to promote the final chapter in this series, and a clip from EW's Instagram shows the A+ way he addressed its premature ending. In his words:

Honestly, he's not wrong. For years fans campaigned for Daredevil to come back, after Netflix's Marvel shows were all cancelled ahead of Disney+'s debut. Folks who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order were thrilled when Charlie Cox returned with a Spider-Man: No Way Home cameo, before popping up in She-Hulk, Echo, and finally getting a new series with Daredevil: Born Again. It seems likely that those same fans might campaign for Marvel to do an about-face and keep Born Again going despite current plans for it to end after Season 3.

Matthew Lillard hyped up Daredevil: Born Again's final season, but that hasn't stopped fans from voicing their disappointment that the show is ending so early into its tenure. While most of the Disney+ Marvel shows are limited series that only have one season, Born Again tells a more complex narrative, incorporating events from the original Netflix series. Unfortunately that story will seemingly come to an end in the show's third season.

Luckily for even the most disappointed fans, Born Again Season 3 is going to deliver something fans have been waiting for. Namely reuniting The Defenders aka Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist. It's been almost ten years since that quartet of street-level heroes were united on the small screen, so the stakes are high for the next Daredevil season. Still, I have to assume that fans are going to be calling for Marvel to keep the acclaimed series going.

The pressure is on for the series to stick the landing, and deliver a satisfying ending fit for such a beloved superhero. Additionally, fans are hoping to see Charlie Cox's hero return to the big screen sometime in the future. More specifically, they want to see Spider-Man and Daredevil finally team up.

Daredevil: Born Again's first two season are now steaming in their entirety on Disney+ as part of the 2026 TV schedule. The third and final season is currently expected to hit the streaming service in March of 2027.

Matt Dinniman is nothing if not generous with the many fans of his Dungeon Crawler Carl series, so it's exciting but not entirely surprising that he would offer up a substantial nugget of information about the highly anticipated, yet-to-be-officially-titled Dungeon Crawler Carl Book 9. Not only did he reveal a cool detail about the plot, but fans also got a sample of what's to come in the form of a brief reading by audiobook narrator Jeff Hays.

🛑 WARNING 🛑 This article contains spoilers related to the Dungeon Crawler Carl books, including Book 8 (A Parade of Horribles). If you're not caught up on the series, consider yourself warned! (Also, FYI Target is having a great deal on books this week, and it includes the DCC hardcovers, so check that out).

Introducing Crawler #12953455

At New York Comic-Con this week, Dinniman revealed that Dungeon Crawler Carl Book 9 will introduce a new Crawler. Audible shared a clip from the panel, where Dinniman said:

When Jeff Hays questioned how many Crawlers were even left after the events of Book 8, Dinniman clarified that this is a Crawler we haven't met before. Next, Jeff Hays read an excerpt, which includes the introduction of this mysterious new Crawler. Check out the video below, then we'll break down some of the clues.

So, this new Crawler is Tabiti, they're #12953455, they appear to be a child, they're "human," and their class is "subjugator."

If you weren't able to watch the video of Hays' reading, I can't state firmly enough how hard he emphasized the quotes around the word human.

Also, this new Crawler is accompanied by Ferdinand (aka Gravy Boat), Princess Donut's old feline flame. As evidenced by how territorial she gets about him, it's clear that flame's still burning.

Is This The Same Child Spotted In Book 8?

One fan pointed out that we got a glimpse of an unidentified child near the end of A Parade of Horribles.

• At the end of book 8, you Carl sees a little girl with Lucia. I’m guessing that one of the kids in her head… popped out. (Aaronjk1987)

This happened in Chapter 98 of the book, which is the last chapter before the epilogue. It's not long after Scolopendra has been "defeated" and the portals have appeared.

Whether or not having seen the child briefly in Book 8 qualifies as having "met" them, I'm not sure. Carl certainly noticed the child and was thrown by the sight of them.

Fans are also speculating about this new Crawler's possible true identity. Here are some of the comments fans left on Audible's post.

• New crawler and level 1 it can only be scolopendra transformed into a crawler (zophayelx)
• It’s not Lucia, it’s gotta be scolopendra, lvl 1, she was transformed into a crawler, “I wouldn’t have let any of you past lvl 6” ? Scolopendra…(mcneely_noelle)
• I'm thinking Cascadia or Agatha, but if its not who we think it is that could eliminate Agatha... (Theninjalibrarian) 

Cascadia's name also came up among the comments in this Reddit thread.

• im gonna go a little wild here and say its cascadia. that shes been turned into a crawler as part of her torture (nbd9000)

What's the story with this new Crawler, jumping into the mix so late in the game? We'll have to wait and see. From this very brief tease of Tabiti during the NYCC panel, something tells me they aren't there to make the remaining Crawler's fight to survive any easier.

We're still waiting for more concrete details about Book 9. A release date has yet to be announced, and though we know the working title is The Beautiful Place, the official title has not been announced. Still, it's great to get these fun updates about what's in store. I also know I'm not alone in being on the edge of my seat waiting for updates about the Dungeon Crawler Carl TV show. Of the many book-to-screen adaptations in the works, that one's high on my list of things to be excited for!

The Traitors is one of my favorite shows on television, and I am, for the most part, really enjoying the NBC adaptation featuring all randoms. I’ve watched every episode the same night it dropped, and I will continue to watch every episode as soon as they’re available. I am eating salmon at breakfast, arguing at the roundtable and putting on my cloak inside the turret. Use whatever clumsy analogy you want. I’m here for Traitors, which is why I need to say something with love: this current version is not fully working and needs an obvious change.

During Season 4 of The Traitors, which streamed on Peacock, every episode was between 59 minutes and 1 hour and 10 minutes. That’s the actual runtime not including commercials, which some subscribers get added in, depending on their plan. Every episode of Season 5, subtitled New Blood, however, has been between 41 and 42 minutes long. That’s not a surprise for network television, but unfortunately, it’s also not compatible with the actual structure of Traitors.

Most reality competition shows have a basic structure to each episode or more broadly, each elimination cycle. On Top Chef, as an example, contestants compete in a QuickFire challenge, which is followed by a quick judging panel, which is followed by an Elimination Challenge, which is followed by a longer judging panel that results in someone getting eliminated. You could talk out basically any reality competition show, whether it be Big Brother or The Voice, and you would find at least a loose version of the same thing.

Let’s go through how it looks on The Traitors. There’s a breakfast each morning where contestants find out who was murdered, which rolls into a group challenge to make money, which rolls into a roundtable where the players vote to banish someone, which rolls into a reveal of whether they were a traitor in Alan's Circle of Truth, which rolls into eating, scheming and hangout time in the castle, which rolls into a turret conversation with the traitors about who to murder, which starts the next cycle where the players discover at breakfast who was murdered and so on.

Peacock’s version of The Traitors has always played a little fast and loose with where the actual episode breaks come. Sometimes the show gives us a mid-roundtable cliffhanger. Sometimes the show cuts before we see who was murdered at breakfast. It’s less regimented than something like Survivor which always ends with Tribal Council, but the expectation is still that we see a little more or a little less than one full cycle through the game, which typically takes about an hour of screentime to properly show. Unfortunately, NBC’s version of The Traitors doesn’t have an hour to give, which either means we can’t get a full cycle of the game or the edit flies through everything so quickly that we can’t get enough confessionals from the players.

This issue wasn’t really noticeable during the first four episodes because the network released them in batches of two. That meant we got a little under an hour and a half of total gameplay time to watch in one extended viewing, but this week, the forty two minute problem was glaring.

The episode started in the middle of the roundtable. We got the rest of the banishment, the backstory behind and execution of a murder in plain sight during the hangout time and then part of the reveal of who got murdered. No challenge. No breakfast. No conversation between the actual traitors inside the turret. We just got part of a roundtable, an extended version of the post-roundtable hangout and then an elaborate set piece where everyone laid down in a grave and we found out some of the people who weren’t murdered.

To be clear, a lot of the episode was compelling. The roundtable resulted in some fun arguments, especially about Jay’s outrageous gameplay. The murder in plain sight involving an apple was edge of your seat entertainment. I had an absolute blast watching the episode, but when it was over, I was left frustrated and unfulfilled. We just didn’t get enough actual progression in the game. At first, I thought maybe I was just being a hater, but I threw on the episode recap from The Specialists, and they were even more worked up than I was.

Maybe the solution is to expand the timeslot and give us ninety minute episodes, which would be a little more than an hour of actual content. Maybe the solution is to alter the format of the NBC version a bit. Maybe the solution is to broadcast the entire season in two episode chunks so if we only get a cycle and a half during each two episode block, it still feels like enough. Maybe the solution is to abbreviate the missions on the NBC version.

This season of The Traitors is doing so much right, but I also think we need to be honest about what it’s doing wrong. The timing just feels off, and it’s never going to be the perfect companion to Peacock's celebrity version without fixing the structural issue.

It's an exciting time to be a MCU fan. Because on top of the forthcoming release of the upcoming Marvel movie Avengers: Doomsday, a bunch of exciting announcements are coming out New York Comic Con. One such reveal is that a spy thriller series called Zodiac is coming for those with a Disney+ subscription. Surprisingly, politician Ted Cruz had a perfect joke in response.

Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order were hyped about the various reveals that have come out NYCC, although no one was expecting the news about the developing Zodiac series. The studio's official social media put out the following logo, which you can see below:

Not much is known about what's coming with this project, but it's expected to start filming in the spring of 2027. While fans tried to examine the logo for clues (which include the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo), the show's announcement got an unexpected to response from Ted Cruz. He took to his Twitter account to post the following:

For a politician who is typically known for being dry and quite serious, this is a definite departure. Clearly Cruz has seen the discourse and memes over the last decade or so, which claimed that he was actually the infamous Zodiac killer. He got ahead of the joke regarding the new Marvel series, showing his ability to have a sense of humor about his public image.

For those who might need a little context, the internet's connection with Ted Cruz and the Zodiac Killer go back over a decade. After the allegations were made by a Twitter account in 2013, memes started rolling in about the politician being the still-unidentified serial killer. The discourse got so popular online that by 2016 if you typed "is Ted Cruz" into Google, one of the most popular autofill choices would be "“Is Ted Cruz the Zodiac killer?". Obviously this is not an ideal association for any public figure, let alone one that's in politics.

Of course, this is just the case of the internet taking a joke and rolling with it. Logistically, Cruz wasn't born until 1970, while the Zodiac Killer's rampage was famously in 1968-1969. So while the Zodiac movie's ending continues to be the fodder for chatter, the same is true for the bananas rumor that the GOP figurehead was actually the killer.

Not much is known about what Marvel has up their sleeve for the Zodiac series, but I have to assume this won't be the last Ted Cruz-related meme that'll arrive online. But hey, at least he's found a way to laugh about it.

It's currently unclear when Zodiac will hit theaters, but the next upcoming Marvel show will be VisionQuest on October 14th as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Fingers crossed we get more information about the developing spy series sooner rather than later.

I went into Netflix’s East of Eden ready to protect John Steinbeck’s epic novel at all costs, which is probably unfair to anyone trying to wrestle that massive book into seven one-hour episodes.

For the most part, Zoe Kazan’s adaptation won me over. Florence Pugh is terrific as Cathy Ames, and Christopher Abbott gives Adam Trask the right wounded softness, which is why I'm pumped for his Xavier. Mike Faist makes Charles feel lonely and painfully human, which is why I’m a little baffled that the book-to-screen adaptation gives us so little of one of my favorite stretches in the book: Adam and Charles becoming brothers again.

The Book Lets Adam And Charles Relationship Breathe

Adam’s return to the Connecticut farm does not magically fix anything. Charles once beat him nearly to death. Their father clearly favored Adam, and while Adam spent years avoiding home, Charles stayed behind, worked the farm, and grew increasingly isolated. Now the two brothers are suddenly expected to live under the same roof again.

That is where some of the book’s most human material begins. Adam sleeps late. Charles is up before dawn. Charles keeps working because that is simply what he does, even though their inheritance means neither brother needs the money. Adam talks endlessly about California. Charles thinks the whole idea is ridiculous. They argue. Adam disappears on trips. Charles buys more land. Adam comes home, and eventually they fall right back into the same routine.

That cycle repeats until Adam finally lets his guard down and tells Charles about the years he spent drifting across the country, including his time as a transient and his arrest. Charles starts laughing, but something between them changes. He tells Adam that knowing all of this actually makes him respect his brother more. For once, the distance between them shrinks, and the two finally begin working together.

As someone with seven brothers, I adore this part of the novel. It is one of the funniest and most realistic versions of brotherhood I have ever seen put on the page because Steinbeck lets them love each other without suddenly becoming good at it. They can barely stand one another, but Charles misses Adam when he is gone. Adam, who once lived in genuine fear of Charles, eventually realizes that fear has loosened its grip. Their reconciliation is not some grand speech about forgiveness. It happens through years of irritation, routine and choosing to remain in each other’s lives anyway.

The entire premise of East of Eden is built around complicated family, and more specifically, complicated relationships of brothers and how these behaviors and actions have ways of repeating themselves. Adam and Charles become the first version of the conflict Cal and Aron eventually inherit. The richer that first relationship is, the harder the second one lands.

I'd Happily Trade Ghost Charles For More Actual Charles

Netflix gives us a taste of Adam and Charles rebuilding their relationship, but it moves through those years quickly and mostly relegates it to a montage. I understand why. Kazan has talked about having to “kill some darlings” while condensing Steinbeck, including cutting much of the Hamilton family story so the series could stay focused on its central characters.

I understand the reasoning, but that doesn't make me miss Charles any less. Faist is great in the role, particularly when Charles’ anger cracks open and lets you see the lonely guy underneath. The show clearly knows it has something in him, too. It even invents a version of Charles who continues appearing as a mental ghost haunting Cathy after he is physically gone. That is actually one of the adaptation choices I like least.

I would gladly trade some Ghost Charles for more Actual Charles. Give me Adam and Charles sharing that farm. Let them fight about work, money, California and all the tiny grievances that somehow become enormously important when the person annoying you shares your blood.

Netflix’s East of Eden is still an ambitious adaptation, and I love that it attempts the multigenerational sweep of Steinbeck’s novel rather than focusing almost entirely on Cal and Aron, as the 1955 James Dean adaptation did. All seven episodes are streaming on the 2026 streaming schedule. All you need is a Netflix plan to enjoy them.

If I could put one thing back into this version, it would be those two damaged men slowly figuring out how to be brothers again. Maybe that hits harder when you have seven of them, but for my money, we don't see enough onscreen depictions of brothers and the complicated love they often share. East of Eden could have leaned into that just a bit more.

SPOILERS ahead for East of Eden, now streaming with a Netflix subscription.

Ever since I found out a book-to-screen adaptation of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden was on the 2026 TV schedule, I've been curious to see the classic get the miniseries treatment. Now that it’s here and I've binged it, wow! There are so many standout moments in the show, but I need to talk about one scene in the final episode where we learned a shocking behind-the-scenes fact from the cast about meeting Florence Pugh’s Cathy on set.

Much of East of Eden is building to the moment when Aron Trask learns that his mother is alive and the owner of a brothel named Kate’s, after her alias. It happens after Caleb spent most of his life protecting his brother from the difficult truth, and Aron concocting a perfect picture in his head of who his mother was. But when Caleb is fueled with rage, the same evening he presents their father with the money he’s earned from war profiteering (which Chris Abbott’s Adam vehemently declines), he decides to take Aron to Kate’s. Here’s how the actor behind Caleb, Joseph Zada, recalled the moment on set to CinemaBlend:

The scene where Aron and Cathy meet for the first time is stirring. Aron has no idea what he’s walking into when Caleb brings him into the brothel. And when he lays his eyes on his mother, you get the feeling that every bright and shiny thing he imagined about her has died all at once. Then, when he runs away without saying a word, you can see the hurt in Cathy’s eyes over being rejected by her own son.

As I learned from the East of Eden cast, the scene was actually Zada and Joe Anders' first day on set and the first time they got to meet Florence Pugh. Anders, who plays Aron, told us this:

It’s certainly a massive moment in East of Eden because it’s the last time we see Aron in the show. Once he sees Cathy, he storms out of the brothel. He sees his brother one last time and punches him clear in the face in his anger.

The next time we hear about Aron is through a letter where he tells his family he’s enlisted in the army, which leads Adam to have a stroke. As the show ends, the Trask family learns that Aron has died in battle. It’s such a tragic ending, but at least Caleb gets a moment with his dad where he forgives him for inspiring Aron to leave his family just before Adam dies, too.

It’s a heartbreaking story, and I imagine the production’s decision to stage the scene to make it the first time Anders and Zada (who’s also in the new Hunger Games movie coming next month) see Pugh made it even more effective. Netflix's East of Eden series is truly the best show I've seen this year, and learning this behind-the-scenes moment only strengthens the memorable scene for me.

Remember when Crazy Rich Asians became one of Hollywood's book-to-screen adaptations? It turned into a phenomenon in the summer of 2018 when the romantic comedy featuring an all-Asian cast became the highest-grossing movie in the genre in the 2010s. For years, we've been waiting to hear about the sequel, and we finally, officially have a follow-up set to start production in 2027. It's unexpected, but I'm so happy it's happening.

How The Crazy Rich Asians Followup Is Finally Happening

Warner Bros. Television just put out a press release that a Crazy Rich Asians streaming series will be coming to those with an HBO Max subscription in the near future. It will follow the events of the beloved romantic comedy and is confirmed to star Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Ronny Chieng and Michelle Yeoh back in their roles. Plus, the movie's co-writer Adele Lim is set to showrun and executive produce the series alongside Crazy Rich Asian author Kevin Kwan, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, and the movie's director Jon M. Chu. Here's what Lim had to say in the announcement:

It wasn't specified if the series will cover the events of both China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems, but having the author on board is definitely a good sign for fans of the trilogy of books. Chu also said this of the Crazy Rich Asians follow-up that's long been in the making:

If you've been following along all these years, you probably know that Crazy Rich Asians' sequel was greenlit not long after the movie's blockbuster success. But then, the project was stalled due to a pay disparity controversy between co-writers Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim. Then, over the years, we've heard multiple updates about a sequel that never came to pass. This ultimately sounds like the best-case scenario, considering most of the talent that made the original a sensation are all back together.

Why I'm Surprised It's A TV Show

Look, I'm all for any property based on a book to be turned into a TV show. It just gives audiences more time to see the characters' plotlines develop, and there's definitely a lot of characters to explore in Crazy Rich Asians. But given the first movie was one of the few romantic comedies to break big among moviegoers, I must say I'm surprised Warner Bros. decided to go this route.

Though, it does seem like this route was the one that all the original creatives opted for, and I'm excited to see it once it's out, and I'm so happy this Crazy Rich Asians reunion is finally, actually in the works. For real. Now we have to wait and see if Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Harry Shum Jr and more of the original cast will also join, too.

It’s been almost a year since fans had to say goodbye to Stranger Things and deal with the controversial series finale. While the finale is still a hot topic from time to time and the animated spinoff is doing well, most people are moving on from Hawkins and looking towards something else. This includes the creators. Matt and Ross Duffer officially left Netflix in April after securing a four-year deal with Paramount. I’d been wondering just how Netflix is handling the breakup.

Following the end of Stranger Things, the Duffers didn’t waste any time moving on to the next show. Their first Stranger Things follow-up was the Haley Z. Boston-created unsettling Netflix horror miniseries Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen, on which they serve as executive producers. Also for Netflix, they did animated series Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 and The Boroughs. The former released its second season in September on the 2026 TV schedule, while the latter was canceled after one season over the summer. Now, after working on four shows at the streamer, the Duffer Brothers are moving on. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos spoke about their exit while at Bloomberg’s Screentime, and he was nothing but understanding of the situation (via Deadline):

For over 10 years, the Duffers were mostly working on television shows. They did Wayward Pines in 2015 and 2016, with Stranger Things taking up all their time for nine years. It makes sense that they’d want to shift their focus to something else, especially after releasing three more shows for Netflix, practically one right after the other this year. Sarandos had all the praise for Matt and Ross and made sure that everyone knew that their legacy and Stranger Things won’t be going anywhere:

With the Duffers moving to Paramount, their careers will carry on elsewhere. Over the summer, Variety reported that the brothers will write and direct a new movie that is slated for a wide theatrical release in November 2028. Details about the untitled film are being kept under wraps, but it will come from their production company, Upside Down Pictures.

Along with the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things executive producer and director Shawn Levy is also leaving Netflix after signing an overall deal with Disney’s 20^th Television. Like the Duffers, Levy had been under a deal at Netflix for over a decade, and the end of Stranger Things continues to mark the end of an era. It wasn’t much of a surprise, though, as Levy has been pretty busy with other projects, so Sarandos is understanding. However, there are still some things to look forward to between Levy and Netflix:

Netflix will soon be heading into a new post-Duffer Brothers era, and it’s hard to tell how that is going to go. While it’s exciting that Matt and Ross are working on movies now at Paramount, I can’t help but hope that they return to doing shows very soon. If anything, those with a Netflix subscription have a handful of Duffer shows to watch, including Stranger Things.

The Josh Hartnett renaissance is alive and well following the much-anticipated release of the new film Verity. Plenty of people have been hyped about Verity, also starring Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson. After Hathaway’s insane run of movies this year, he's is also staying pretty busy, but not only on the big screen. I think he’s having a sneaky great fall following Verity and reviews for his new series on the 2026 TV schedule.

Officially out now with a Netflix subscription, Below centers on a “hard-bitten fisherman” (Hartnett) who must fight to protect his family, his community, and his vanishing way of life after a mysterious sea creature terrorizes a small Newfoundland town. Created by Jesse McKeown, the series also stars Mackenzie Davis, Charlie Heaton, Ruby Stokes, Kaleb Horn, Rohan Campbell, and Willow Kean.

Already, Below is bringing in some pretty great reviews. RogertEbert.com praised the show’s way of dealing with horror and making it all the more realistic, even if the actual plot may not be exactly what the real world is struggling with. It apparently makes Below all the more frightening:

That is far from the only good review. While Variety was jokingly ripping Hartnett, who was born and raised in Minnesota, for his “hilarious attempt” at a Newfoundland accent, the publication wrote that Below is a “gripping watch.” And it makes me even more excited to finally turn on the show and binge-watch it all.

Mashable, meanwhile, compares Below to the Emmy-winning series Widow’s Bay as the two shows have something bad terrorizing local residents. They say Below is a “fun, tightly crafted riff on Jaws” and it’s the perfect way to “ease into the spooky fall viewing.” That's not all. They also praise the way the series avoids showing the infamous creature until the perfect time:

JoshAtTheMovies, on the other hand, praises the ensemble cast while also pointing out some pacing issues that hurt the ending but still made for a memorable ride:

As if that wasn't enough, Bloody Disgusting wrote that Hartnett "anchors" the horror miniseries, which "bides its time" and builds the mystery. Even though six episodes don't seem like enough, they said that it can be enough to get you hooked.

It’s clear that Below is hitting all the right notes, meaning that Hartnett is killing it on both the big and small screens. Since Below is a miniseries, all six episodes are it. It wouldn’t be surprising if Hartnett managed to nab another series soon. I also wouldn’t be surprised if he wanted to take a break following the fall run he’s had. If anything, between Verity and Below, I don’t think anyone is more ready for the spooky season than he is, with all the thrills, chills, and monsters (human and non-human) he’s dealt with.

At the very least, fans will be able to get their Josh Hartnett fix one way or another this fall and see what people are talking about. Verity is bringing the thrills and Below is bringing the horror, and there’s no telling what he’s got cooking up next. Verity is in theaters now, and all six episodes of Below are streaming on Netflix.

Spoilers ahead for the Season 4 finale of Ted Lasso.

Every streaming service has some hit shows, and Ted Lasso is definitely in that category for those with an Apple TV subscription. After temporarily ending after Season 3, the Emmy-winning comedy returned for a fourth season back in August. Despite how beloved the show is, recent comments have me worried it won't be renewed for Season 5.

Ted Lasso's Season 4 finale was as heartwarming as one might expect, and also packed an emotional punch after the death of Mae. While the Lady Greyhounds' coaching team had a switch-up, it's unclear if we'll get to see how it affects the team in a future season. Coach Beard actor/writer Brendan Hunt recently spoke to Deadline about the series, where his interviewer claimed that renewal was "imminent." The scene-stealer responded with:

Well, that's not exactly encouraging. It sounds like the cast of Ted Lasso hasn't heard one way or another if a fifth season is going to happen. Given the show's Emmys and popularity, keeping the run going on Apple seems like a no-brainer to me. So is it actually going to end after Season 4?

I had some critiques about Ted Lasso Season 4, but I'd hate to see it end its run on television... again. I need to know what happens to AFC Richmond's women's team, as well as Keeley's pregnancy. Brendan Hunt is also on the writing team for the series and spoke more about the uncertainty of its fate. In the same interview, he said:

Well, he certainly didn't mince his words. So despite Ted Lasso Season 4, doing a bunch of setup for future episodes, there's no guarantee that we'll actually get to see it return to Apple. Since Hunt is both a writer and actor on the show, he'd know if a renewal was on its way. As such, fans will have to keep their collective fingers crossed and wait for good news from the network.

Ted Lasso continues to be one of the most heartwarming shows on the air, and the Season 4 finale was no exception. Even when it was revealed that Tracey Ullman's Zelda Southport was the one secretly buying Richmond's stocks, it was handled with comedy. We'll just have to see if the story gets to continue.

Ted Lasso Season 4 is streaming in its entirety over on Apple as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Hopefully we hear news about the show's future soon.

Major spoilers for Mike Flanagan’s Carrie follow.

I liked a lot about Mike Flanagan’s Carrie. Summer H. Howell gives Carrie White an aching sweetness, the high school material feels surprisingly believable, and Samantha Sloyan is phenomenal as Margaret White. In fact, Margaret and Carrie’s relationship became the part of the series I was most invested in, which is why one finale decision frustrated me so much.

Flanagan’s series dramatically changes the ending of Stephen King’s original book by letting both Carrie and Margaret survive the White house's destruction. Margaret dies by the time the credits roll, but not at the telekinetic hands of her daughter. Instead, Kate Siegel’s mysterious interviewer stops Margaret’s heart after determining she can no longer access the telekinetic abilities she used to save herself. That may open the door for the series' larger mythology, but for me, it takes the emotional catharsis away from the two characters who earned it.

Margaret White Is More Than A Scary Church Lady

Sloyan’s Margaret is frightening without becoming a cartoon. She loves her daughter, and I genuinely believe that. The problem is that every bit of that love has been warped through terror, religious fanaticism and Margaret’s absolute conviction that she understands what God expects from her daughter. She can comfort Carrie one minute and emotionally destroy her the next without seeing a contradiction. She is fanatical in her worldview, but she also makes some really great points and feels like a flesh-and-blood person. I have met this person in real life.

Sloyan is tremendous at playing this type of character. Carrie also spends eight episodes developing the mother-daughter relationship, giving it far more room than Brian De Palma’s 1976 movie. We watch Carrie slowly realize her mother’s rules aren't divine law. We see her push back, discover her powers and begin imagining a life Margaret cannot control.

Everything builds toward the moment Carrie finally breaks that control for good. King’s novel makes that break horrifyingly literal. After Margaret stabs her, Carrie stops her mother’s heart. De Palma changes the method but keeps the emotional ownership of the moment, with Carrie telekinetically pinning Margaret with knives before bringing the house down. Mother and daughter destroy each other. It is awful, but it is also Shakespearean an tragic.

This Particular Choice Cheapens The Payoff

Flanagan almost gets there. Margaret attacks Carrie, stabbing her in the ear; Carrie brings the house down, and then we learn Margaret has her own latent powers and used them to survive. That revelation is interesting by itself. The series establishes Carrie’s abilities as inherited rather than some inexplicable anomaly, and Margaret discovering that the thing she feared in her daughter also exists inside herself is loaded with possibilities. Then it's completely undercut.

Siegel’s mysterious character questions Margaret about her abilities as part of the documentary filming that frames the series. The interviewer determines Margaret cannot summon the powers again and kills her before ordering the death covered up. Suddenly, Margaret White’s final moment belongs to a mythology the series introduced around Carrie, not to Carrie herself. That is where it loses me.

Carrie killing Margaret has never been just another body on the pile. It is the ugliest possible conclusion to a lifetime of abuse. She finally has enough power to escape her mother, and using that power comes with consequences she can never take back. Having Carrie think she killed Margaret, only to let the audience in on the fact that she didn't, softens her agency at exactly the point where I wanted the story to get more complicated. What has always made the character so tragic is that she is a victim turned into an abuser, but the past adaptations have never allowed the climax to let victimhood erase what she's done. But in this adaptation, all agency is removed from her, all the edges are sanded off, and the best story thread of the series is left landing with a wet thud.

Logically, I understand why Flanagan made the change. This book to screen adaptation clearly has ambitions beyond the Whites, with Emaline, the mysterious X-Men-like powered women and the titular character herself surviving the finale. Flanagan has discussed wanting room to continue the story beyond this season. But Sloyan and Howell spent eight episodes making Carrie and Margaret the emotional center, and for me, the ending should have belonged to them. Instead, we are left with a finale that (in my opinion) undercuts the seven hours of storytelling that preceded it.

While Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift don’t hide their love for each other, and their excitement about getting married was palpable, they don’t want the public to know everything. Knowing that, it makes sense why Travis shut down his brother, Jason Kelce, when he asked how he spent his birthday with his wife. However, the question the football player wouldn’t answer surprised me… especially since he did divulge a few details about his special day right before that.

Travis Kelce Did Reveal Some Details About How He and Taylor Swift Spent His Birthday

Travis Kelce turned 37 on October 5, and he spent the day celebrating in New York City with his wife, Taylor Swift. He spoke about it as well on New Heights, telling his brother Jason:

Travis went on to say that the “best news” on his birthday was that the Chiefs “got a victory.” Well, they actually got it the day before his birthday, but the tight end clarified that it was the subject of the “happiness” on October 5. If his team had lost, he knows it would have ruined the day for him, as he responded to his brother’s question about it by saying, “Losing ruins everyone’s life,” which was followed by:

With that said, Travis clarified that he’s “not a big birthday guy.” However, he did celebrate with some dessert at Torrisi. When Jason asked him what sweet treats he had and if there was cake, his brother said no, but went on to reveal what he got instead:

Well, this was a nice peek into how Travis Kelce spent his birthday. However, when his brother tried to ask him about the gifts he got, the football player was quick to end the conversation about turning 37.

Travis Shut His Brother Down When He Asked About The Gifts He Got

It’s obvious there are some things Swift and Kelce don’t want us to know. I mean, we still haven’t seen photos from their wedding. Apparently, gifts are another topic they don’t want to give details about. This was proven after Jason asked his brother:

In response, his brother said:

Travis said that with a pretty straight and stern face, and when Jason responded by saying they’d just keep it moving, his younger brother started laughing. So, all is fine. However, it was very clear he would not be divulging anything else about how he and his wife spent his birthday.

This isn’t the first time Travis has done something like this. Last year, he wouldn’t reveal his off-week plans to his brother on their podcast. Clearly, there are boundaries in place, and Jason seems to have no issue with them, as he just moved forward and carried on with the podcast.

With that said, whatever Travis Kelce got for his birthday will remain a mystery. However, we do know his wedding at MSG was amazing, and the newlyweds celebrated his 37th birthday in the same city where they tied the knot. That’s lovely to know, and everything else can stay between them.

When Queen Charlotte ended, I was dying for more love stories like hers, and I wanted to see more of young Violet Bridgerton and Lady Danbury. Now, we’re going to get just that, as Netflix has officially announced a spinoff about the Bridgerton matriarch and her late husband, Edmund. So, yeah, I’m elated over this news, especially since I’ve been wanting this for a long time, and the fans are in the same boat.

Violet Bridgerton Is Getting Her Own Show

While there is no question about whether we’ll get more Bridgerton, seeing as Season 5 is in the works and it’s already been renewed for Season 6, there were questions about the potential for more prequel stories.

I specifically wanted one about Violet, since her romance with Edmund is so legendary in the flagship show. She talks about it often, and their love match is like a guiding light for her children. Plus, with the success of Queen Charlotte, it felt like making a spinoff about the Bridgerton matriarch was the natural next step.

This spinoff will be a limited series, per Netflix, that follows a young Violet and Viscount Edmund Bridgerton. It will be co-written, showrun and executive produced by Shonda Rhimes and Nicholas Nardini. That’s notable because Rhimes was the one who wrote Violet’s enthralling love story in Season 4 of Bridgerton, and she created Queen Charlotte.

Other than that, details about Violet and Edmund’s series are sparse, but it was noted that it will be similar to Queen Charlotte. That makes me think we will get to see Ruth Gemmell playing Violet in the present, and I’ll be curious to see if Connie Jenkins-Greig returns to reprise her role as the younger version of Violet that we saw in the last prequel series. Plus, obviously I’m dying to know who will be cast as Edmund.

Overall, there’s still a lot to learn about this new series set in the world of Bridgerton. However, just knowing that it’s coming has me remarkably excited.

Fans Are Thrilled Violet Will Finally Get Her Story

Obviously, fans were surprised and utterly delighted, too. I mean, many of us have been asking for this story for a very long time. So, to know we’re actually going to get to watch Violet and Edmund’s romance unfold with a Netflix subscription is the best news. To prove that, take a look at some of the comments left on Netflix’s announcement:

• Young Violet and Edmund?! 😭 Bridgerton really knows how to keep us hooked. I’m SO ready for this love story. ❤️‍🔥
• Let's fooking goooo!!! 🔥🔥💯I've waited for this!!!
• FINALLYYYYYYYY
• We're getting origin stories for the parents now. The Bridgerton Cinematic Universe is real, and honestly it has a better long-term plan than most superhero franchises.
• SCREAMING KICKING CRYING GIGGLING KICKING MY FEET THROWING MYSELF AGAINST THE WALL

The hype really is so real for this. And it makes sense too. Violet and Edmund's story is something we've been yearning for. Plus, with Queen Charlotte being so fantastic, I just know they'll do a great job with this tale.

At the moment, it’s unclear when exactly we’ll get to see Violet and Edmund’s series. However, Bridgerton will return in 2027 to tell Francesca and Michaela’s story, and we just got to see Benedict and Sophie fall in love on the 2026 TV schedule. So, there’s plenty of romance to keep us occupied until we finally get to see how the Bridgerton kids’ parents got together.

It may have been a while since Friends went off the air (we won’t count the years), but the cast is still throwing out references when I least expect it. Though I wouldn’t have guessed a Stranger Things alum would ever be a part of the fun. In fact, I was recently so distracted by Noah Schnapp asking to do pilates with Jennifer Aniston that it nearly made me miss her Friends nod.

The actress hared a feel-good “Sunday Love” Instagram post that gave us a little peak at cute dogs, living life, and even a promotion for her boyfriend Jim Curtis’ latest book, The Book of Possibility. Right in the middle of the post was the perfect Friends reference, and no it wasn’t a chick or a duck. While Rachel Green is the character she’s most like, Aniston can be seen wearing a “My Eyes!” Phoebe sweatshirt and even mimicking her co-star Lisa Kudrow’s actions from the iconic s Friends cene. Check it out:

The scene in question happens in Season 5, Episode 14 “The One Where Everybody Finds Out,” and the shirt is showing the moment where Phoebe found out about Monica and Chandler. After it was revealed in the two-part Season 4 finale that the two long-time pals slept together in London, there was a half-season-long arc of sneaking around. That is, until everyone found out. The moment came when Phoebe and Rachel were checking out Ugly Naked Guy’s apartment with Ross when she caught 'Mondler' in the act, which led to her freaking out and going “My eyes! My eyes!”

I’m so glad I didn’t miss the fan-favorite moment, but I swear it’s not my fault. Seeing Will Byers commenting on Rachel Green’s post was very distracting! Apparently, the Stranger Things star follows the actress, and was not shy about getting a request in. Schnapp definitely took the cheesecake with his invite:

However, does Schnapp have Unagi? Because that answer is a deal-breaker.

Listen, I do know Schnapp isn’t the only celebrity superfan of the sitcom. Only Murders star Selena Gomez binges the sitcom on her days off, and really who could blame her? Then soccer legend David Beckham surprised me when he appeared in Friends: The Reunion to gush about his favorite show. He may be the first celebrity to ask to work out with Aniston, though.

Meanwhile, this isn't the first time Friends has come up in the month of October. A docuseries is coming about the late Matthew Perry, though the Friends cast has chosen to not participate. The One About Matthew Perry will chronicle his life, career, and death in three parts, but an insider stated that Aniston would not be involved as she “doesn’t want to relive [his death] and have it be so public.” Another source claimed that the rest of the cast were asked and also declined, so the docuseries will instead focus on other people in his life. This will be available with a Netflix subscription on October 27.

I'm excited about the documentary, and the I'm glad the legacy of Friends lives on, but I'm left with one big question: Will we find out if Aniston accepts the Pilates invite... and will she wear a Friends shirt?

Spoilers ahead for the first 6 episodes of Amazon's Carrie.

Stephen King's work has been made into plenty of movies and TV shows over the years, and fans of his work were recently treated to a new book to screen adaptation with Mike Flagan's Carrie series. The show is streaming in its entirety for those with an Amazon Prime subscription, and features a number of new takes on the classic story. Although it turns out that the biggest change to Carrie's story actually came from the source material. Let's break it all down.

From the first episode of Carrie, it's clear that Flanagan was putting his own spin on the story. That includes the Sue's interviews being used as a framing device, as well as the fact that it "wasn't just Carrie" at the Prom the night of the massacre. During the first few episodes Summer H. Howell's protagonist befriends Thalia Dudek's Emaline West, a new character who is eventually revealed to be speaking to her through astral projections. CinemaBlend spoke to Mike Flanagan about this twist, offering:

This might be part of Stephen King's novel, but this is a new take on Carrie for film. She's not alone in her abilities, but is actually part of a sorority of women with powers. Emaline is one of the title character's first few friends, but at the end of Episode 5 it's revealed that she actually isn't a student at Thomas Ewen Consolidated High School. Instead, she's a fellow superpowered teen who has been spying on Carrie and helping her push the limits of her abilities.

Having watched all the various versions of Carrie over the years, I love that Mike Flanagan and company still found a way to surprise me. I didn't know what to expect when Emaline was introduced, but I quickly clocked that she didn't seem to be actually interacting with anyone besides the title character. Eventually, it's revealed that this is because she was never actually there in the flesh.

In some ways this twist also seems to connect Carrie with Mike Flanagan's Doctor Sleep movie (which is streaming with a Paramount+ subscription). That's why I had doubts about Emaline; we've seen how astral projection works in the director's previous Stephen King adaptation. It also makes sense why Carrie is eventually able to have so much control over her powers at The Prom. She had a "friend" training her and preparing her for that fated moment.

Reviews for Carrie praised its first few episodes, and having six out of the eight episodes, I have to agree. Mike Flanagan found a way to bring something new to the beloved story, taking it into the modern age and also switching up the title character's relationship to her mother, as well as Chris and Sue. Then there's Emaline, whose backstory will presumably become more clear in the final two eps.

Carrie is currently streaming in its entirety over on Amazon Prime as part of the 2026 TV schedule. It's here just in time for spooky season, and once again Mike Flanagan has proven himself as a master of horror.

Spoilers for the Season 4 finale of Ted Lasso are ahead! You can stream the series with an Apple TV subscription.

Much like early reviews of Ted Lasso’s fourth season, I ended up having mixed feelings about it. Some elements I loved, and it made me so happy that one of my favorite shows was back and airing on the 2026 TV schedule. However, there were other storylines and character arcs that I really struggled with. Now, Season 4 has ended, and everything I loved and worried about was addressed in a way that left me with two hopes for future seasons.

Less Roy Kent

While I was thrilled that Brett Goldstein returned to Ted Lasso at first, I quickly changed my mind, and I started to wonder why Roy Kent was still in the show. With the men’s team not being included in Season 4 in a big way (although many of them, including Phil Dunster’s Jamie Tartt, had cameos), it didn’t give Roy much to do on the series outside of his relationship with Keeley. So, ultimately, his arc felt forced and at times out of character, which led me to hope that we’d see a bit less of Roy moving forward.

Personally, I would have preferred it if Goldstein was a guest star and just popped into the show from time to time. That way, his inclusion wouldn’t feel forced, and his romance with Keeley wouldn’t feel like too much. Now, if Ted Lasso continues, it seems like that could be a road he goes down. That’s because Roy is no longer the manager of AFC Richmond; he was offered a job at Chelsea, and he took it.

So, he won’t be around Ted and the gang as much, and now there’s a really good reason for him to take a step back and just pop in every now and again with Keeley. Obviously, he’ll still be part of the story; I mean, Keeley is pregnant, and he’s the father. However, with his new job, he should naturally be around less, and that hopefully means the show can focus more on the women’s team.

More Alice Chilton

That leads me to my next hope, which has to do with my opinion that the best addition to Ted Lasso was Coach Alice Chilton. As a fan of Tanya Reynolds, I knew this would probably be the case, and boy, was I right. Alice was such a fun and necessary addition to this great Apple TV show. Now, I need to see more of her!

It seems like that could happen too, considering she’s now the head coach of AFC Richmond’s women’s team, while Ted and Beard are serving as her assistant managers. Overall, this is a marvelous development, and I love that it now feels like Alice and her team are really at the forefront.

While that was true for this season, the ghosts of Ted Lasso’s past did haunt it a bit (as seen with Roy’s storyline). What I’d like to see is Alice and the team take center stage and really own the show. This season’s strongest moments happened when we got to see the women growing as a team and Alice stepping into her confidence as a coach (that moment with Shannon about choreography, truly iconic). I want more of that going forward, and Alice’s new job gives me hope that that will happen.

So, if Ted Lasso continues, I hope these dreams become reality. The finale seems to imply that they will; we’ll just have to wait and see how they continue to play this game.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding has been described as everything from “the wedding of the century” to an “intimate” event. Now, months after the couple tied the knot at Madison Square Garden, Heidi Gardner has shared her take on the event, and she kept using two adorable words to describe it.

Much like other celebs who have been asked to share details about Swift and Kelce’s wedding, the Saturday Night Live vet had nothing but kind words. During an interview with iHeart Radio, Gardner was asked if there was anything she could divulge about it that wouldn’t get her in trouble (since many of the details are still under wraps). Here's what she had to say:

Well, that’s just the sweetest thing. While I knew Swift and Kelce were excited to marry each other (I mean, obviously they were), hearing that their enthusiasm was palpable is adorable. I can imagine them both at the altar absolutely giddy about saying “I do” while Adam Sandler officiated.

It was also really cute to hear Gardner get so excited for them. She is a notable Kansas City Chiefs fan, and she was working at Saturday Night Live when Travis Kelce hosted (in fact, she campaigned for years to get the Super Bowl champ on SNL). So, I imagine getting one of those secretive invitations to his wedding meant a lot to her.

Plus, it’s been clear from other guests’ comments about this ceremony that everybody seemed very happy to be at Madison Square Garden and celebrating this very excited couple. For example, Mariska Hargitay complimented Swift and Kelce’s vows, calling them her “favorite part of the whole wedding.” Meanwhile, Travis' brother, Jason Kelce, gushed about the variety of guests who showed up to celebrate his sibling and sister-in-law, and Conan O'Brien called Adam Sandler's officiating "perfection."

Knowing how excited the “Love Story” singer gets while cheering on her husband at games and seeing the tight end dance at the Eras Tour, it makes perfect sense to me that they were incredibly excited on their wedding day. While they keep a lot of details about their relationship private, one thing that’s very obvious and public is their adoration and support of each other.

So, the fact that that energy was so present at their wedding makes me incredibly happy, and, to quote Heidi Gardner, “so excited.”

Crop tops have been in for more than a decade at this point. I remember buying a mock neck one with a skater skirt back in 2014 and feeling like it was peak fashion. They’ve gone through a ton of iterations, with different collars and silhouettes, but lately we’ve gone from just a “crop” to more of a bra forward trend in the celebrity fashion world, as sported by the likes of Kim Kardashian and Baywatch reboot cast member Brooks Nader.

We’ve seen Emma Watson and others rock the bra top under a blazer or a cardigan in the past, so it’s not as if I’ve never seen a bra be used as a top. (In fact, it might have been Seinfeld in the nineties that popularized the trend originally.) However, it’s one thing for an edgy look to crop up every once and awhile, word choice intended, and quite another to see it going more fully in the way of a common look, which seems to be happening now.

Brooks Nader gets the credit for capturing my attention first. The actress and social media star switched out her Baywatch red for a black and white stunner at Paris Fashion week. The event? EE72 One Year Anniversary Celebration at L'Avenue. The look? A Jean Paul Gaultier Corseted outfit.

Separately, Kim Kardashian was on the same wavelength with her Sunday Times Style feature. On the cover itself she’s rocking a black bra with a high end skirt, but it’s the second image in the thread that’s the most striking to me: a satin corset top rocked with a distressed vintage tee dress. In Kim’s case, she was absolutely promoting her SKIMS line and mixing it up with some high-end fashion pieces. The black look seen below was a SKIMS bra + a Gucci skirt.

Of course, what you might wear on a newspaper or magazine cover is not necessarily what you’d wear out in real life, but I do think it’s striking the two separate women rocked similar fits so close to one another. When we talk about wearing cropped in the future, we may simply mean wearing innerwear as outerwear. That’s certainly proven true with the recent corset trend, as seen most recently on Florence Pugh while she was doing East of Eden press, as well as Katee Sackhoff promoting Carrie with a corseted dress.

The future is now.

If you love Christmas movies and true crime, then I have got the streaming deal for you! Right now, for Prime Day, you can get Discovery+ and Hallmark bundled with your Prime subscription for just $14.99 per month. That's four bucks cheaper than it would be if you didn't bundle them, plus you get a seven-day free trial. That gives you a chance to check out all the upcoming Christmas movies on Hallmark before committing, but there is so much to watch on both that you'll probably find yourself committing, right?

I watch a ton of true crime shows. Really, an unhealthy amount. When I worry about the toll it might take on my mental health, it's always good to outlet to help me lighten my mood. Cheesy Christmas movies are sometimes just what I need to remind myself that the whole world isn't filled with terrible people. There is still room for cozy fires and cozier romances, usually in small towns with a character played by Lacey Chabert.

She is the queen of Hallmark Christmas movies, of course, and, at least to my knowledge, isn't committing mysterious crimes I can watch play out in a three-part docuseries. Thank goodness! I actually don't have a subscription to either of these streamers, and now, with this deal, it's made it the perfect time to check them out.

The James Bond movies are wildly popular, with entire generations of moviegoers brought up watching 007's adventures through the years. With Daniel Craig's Bond films in the rear view, all eyes are on what Denis Villeneuve will do with the 26th movie, as well as what actor will be the next Bond. The entire franchise is now available to stream for those with an Amazon Prime subscription, and fans are largely having the same reaction. Let's break it all down.

No Time To Die's ending killed of Daniel Craig's Bond, and we're going to enter a new era of the franchise next. Amazon MGM purchased rights to the franchise, and the studio recently posted on social media announcing that all 25 of the films are now available to stream. Check it out below:

This is some very exciting news. For years the Bond films have been in different streaming homes, with some needing to be purchased in order to be re-watched. That's not the case anymore, as now all you need is an Amazon Prime subscription to get in on the fun. Still, there's one recurring sentiment that's shared over and over again in the comments section of the above announcement.

While we wait to see what director Denis Villeneuve will do with Bond 26, fans are going to have to re-watch its predecessors to get their fix of 007. One might have thought that folks would be happy to have them all in one streaming location, but there are some doubts. Just look at the following responses:

• FOR HOW LONG THIS TIME???
• Don’t you mean to say “All 25 Bond films are streaming for now” because you are going to take them down in a couple weeks like you do every year
• You did this the other year as well, put them on for free and then stuck them behind a paywall!
• Yeah but you guys have them on for about a month before they’re gone again.
• Please don’t take them down after 3 months this time

Well, they certainly didn't mince their words. It look like the Bond fandom is over the blockbusters being streamable... before promptly being taken down. Now that Amazon has control over the action franchise, the first 25 movies should presumably stick around on Prime. Only time will tell, but some moviegoers clearly don't have faith in the streaming service.

Amazon put out an awesome montage of the various Bond actors in their movies. While some fans were excited about seeing this edit, the majority of the comments section was full of people hoping that the 007 don't end up being taken off of Amazon. Since the studio shelled out al that money to have ownership of the property, why wouldn't they want to make some of that money back via streams and ads?

As previously mentioned, moviegoers are curious about Denis Villeneuve's 26th movie, especially its mysterious cast. Although since that movie isn't on the 2026 movie release list, we might have to be patient when waiting on official news from Amazon. Hey, at least Prime Video has the first 25 films.

Well, the last couple I expected to compare Sydney Sweeney and her boyfriend Scooter Braun to were Noah and Joanne from Nobody Wants This. However, at this time, it’s an apt comparison to make. Allegedly, The Housemaid star is thinking about converting to Judaism as she and her boyfriend work out the next steps of their relationship (which could include kids). That kind of choice is at the center of Nobody Wants This; however, Sweeney's reported situation is not totally like the one Kristen Bell's Joanne is in.

So, it’s been reported that Sweeney has been seen at Rosh Hashanah services with Braun, and there have been rumors that she’s thinking about converting. According to Page Six, the actress is apparently serious about it and has met with two rabbis. This could be happening because the couple wants to start a family, as one source alleged:

Another source told the outlet earlier that the music mogul also feels strongly about marrying Sweeney. Apparently, he’s “trying very hard” to do it too:

Now, these rumors about religion and Sweeney potentially converting to Judaism do line up with the primary conflict in Nobody Wants This, which is ironically set to return on the 2026 TV schedule for its third season. In the hit Netflix series, Kristen Bell’s Joanne starts dating a rabbi named Noah (Adam Brody). Throughout the first two seasons, questions about whether Joanne will convert to be with Noah are primary points in the story, and she goes on quite the journey to figure out if that’s something she wants to do.

It would seem that Sweeney is not dealing with something like that, based on this report that claims she's taking this all very seriously and meeting with rabbis. However, it does sound like the Euphoria actress converting to Judaism might be an important choice the couple has to make, just like it is for Noah and Joanne on Nobody Wants This.

Plus, like Brody and Bell's characters, it seems like Braun and Sweeney are very serious about their relationship and their long-term future. Earlier this year, the businessman called his romance with the actress one of the “biggest surprises ever.” On the Anyone But You star's birthday, he also took to Instagram to write about how she “showed [him] how life with true partnership can be lived.”

So, now, we’ll have to wait and see if the next step in Sweeney and Braun's relationship involves her converting to Judaism, marriage and kids. In the meantime, you can see where Noah and Joanne’s romance is headed and how their relationship with Judaism impacts it by streaming Season 3 of Nobody Wants This with a Netflix subscription on October 22.

I think anyone with an Amazon Prime Video subscription probably understands that Alan Ritchson is jacked, whether or not they watched Reacher Season 4. The man is splashed all over the home screen on the streamer between his various movies and his very popular TV show. He’s a big, fit guy, and as a gym girlie myself, I know this takes dedication and diligence. I just didn’t realize the “high high volume” of reps he was putting in.

Ritchson recently sat down with Thomas DeLauer Podcast, and explain his strategy for staying swole. Some of this involves eating right and throwing in a lot of HIIT cardio with sprints and the Stairmaster, the latter of which does not always go over so well. Some of this is because he literally likes to do four sets at 25 reps of a given exercise.

Gym newbies are often taught to do three sets of eight for each exercise, and maybe push to nine or 10 before going up a plate or free weight. People who are more intermediate or advanced often throw in extra sets or increase reps at a lower weight to keep things interesting, so it’s not like a giant surprise Alan Ritchson might do longer rep sets. BUT 100 reps for one exercise is a lot.

He said for years he didn’t “have a gym membership” so he’d go to parks where he’d do pushups, pull-ups, dips and sit-ups at high volume, and that ethic has stuck with him as he’s gotten more successful in life and at the gym.

Yes, Alan Ritchson probably isn’t going the heaviest he can go when he’s doing these 100 reps. This video shows him curling what looks to be two 25 lb plates (don’t quote me) on a small bar. So, it’s more weight than I can probably curl, but for a big guy, going longer is probably important here.

It gets wilder. When he’s doing his core warmup, he’s apparently aiming for 250 reps of things like leg lifts, crunches and more in sets of 25, which he calls a “warm up.” Of course these are all body-weighted exercises, and not with barbells or free weights, but it’s still an incredible amount of reps. No wonder the man is eating around 5,000 calories a day, a number similar to what David Corenswet was also eating for Superman.

He then works into the cardio (sprints) and, finally, the weights.

So, How Much Does Alan Ritchson Bench?

The actor says he is absolutely not trying to go as heavy as possible with lifting. He’s known too many people who go too hard and end up with joint replacements, which is for him where this “volume” strategy comes in. Still, umm, I’d say he benches quite a lot more than the average person, as he noted after mentioning people ask him all the time how much he benches.

It’s no wonder Amazon is fine shamelessly promoting Reacher with a slew of shirtless pics. The work paid off.

There Is A Caveat To All This.

Alan Ritchson did state he aims for four sets of 25. That doesn’t mean he always completes four sets of 25. I think it’s an important distinction, because not every lift is the same, and your body isn’t always up to the same thing it was a week or two before.

Still, forget that measly three sets of eight routine. If he can go lighter but harder, he’s getting the pump that allowed him to put on a whopping 30 pounds to play Jack Reacher. If volume is also what you are going for, it’s not a bad strategy at all. Now, excuse me, a mere mortal, while I try to get to 10 reps.

With Verity dominating at the box office in its opening weekend, and Yesteryear's upcoming adaptation creating quite a bit of buzz, it's no surprise that Anne Hathaway would be asked about her preferred role in another majorly in-demand book-to-screen adaptation. While there's been no recent word on the status of a big or small screen take on Sarah J. Maas' mega-popular romantasy series, A Court of Thorn and Roses, Hathaway knows which character she'd love to play.

🛑 Spoiler alert: I will be referencing at least one big spoiler from Sarah J Maas' Court of Thorns and Roses books, so read no further if you aren't caught up! Too spoilery, can't read? She'd love to play Nesta.)

The ACOTAR Character Anne Hathaway Would Love To Play

When Anne Hathaway sat down with Waterstones to talk about Verity, the topic of ACOTAR came up, and Hathaway immediately brought up how excited she was about the upcoming release of Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Splintered Harmony (yesssss!). Her enthusiasm seemed to implode moments later when she was asked which of Maas' characters she'd like to play.

Eventually though, she did name a specific Archeron sister as being her ideal pick, though she seems doubtful she's right for the role:

Anne Hathaway as Nesta? I Have Thoughts

I know some or even many ACOTAR fans might disagree with me here, but I can see Hathaway in the role. Or maybe I just want her to have a shot at it because Nesta deserves to be played by someone who would choose to play her above all of the other amazing ACOTAR characters, including Elain and Feyre. Just the fact that she said Nesta makes me want her to play Nesta.

I'm literally in the middle of a reread of A Court of Silver Flames, so Nesta is vivid and loud in my imagination these days. I'm also a massive Nesta fan in general, and I completely get what Hathaway means when she brings up Nesta's journey. If and when an ACOTAR adaptation actually starts moving forward in development, I'll be on the edge of my seat waiting to see who's cast for the role. And that were to be Anne Hathaway, I have no doubt she'd put her all into the part and doing Nesta justice with her performance.

But This Is All Hypothetical...

Even if you wholly disagree with me for even considering Hathaway in the role, as one of my coworkers did, we're unfortunately speaking in hypotheticals here anyway. There's no ACOTAR adaptation in development at present, and we haven't gotten any significant updates about one since the planned TV show was was scrapped at Hulu. Plus, I think Hathaway is speaking more out of her appreciation for the character than she is making a serious suggestion.

Even I have to admit, as much as I want to support her dream-casting, I can't say that Hathaway is who I'd picture for Nesta. Part of that could be because Nesta is in her early 20s in the first book, and -- spoiler alert -- given that she's made High Fae by the Cauldron in the second, she won't be aging up much anytime soon. Still, just watch how Hathaway talks about playing her, and tell me you can't at least try to picture it?

Another character who came up in this conversation is Amarantha, and wow, would Hathaway be great in that role! We've seen her show off her villainous side in the past, with Verity being a really great recent example. I can easily picture her tackling this particular High Fae female, unlikable though she may be.

Considering how enthusiastic Hathaway is about the series, I would love to see her be a part of an adaptation in some way or another, as a producer or a cast member (or both).

Here's hoping we get some actual news about a possible adaptation for the ACOTAR books. In the meantime, fans have two books to anticipate, one of which will be in our hands in a matter of weeks!

I have no trouble believing Netflix subscribers would rather throw on Red Notice on a Friday night than Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma. One has Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot bouncing around the world hunting treasure. This does not require a Nielsen scientist, and according to an insider, Netflix audiences only want down-the-middle films. But c’mon, they can still smell slop when it's dropped on the homepage.

Netflix Audiences Apparently Aren’t ‘Highfalutin’

Where I start twitching is when “broad taste” gets treated as shorthand for audiences being fine with whatever expensive mush gets dropped onto streaming. This conversation popped up in The Hollywood Reporter while insiders discussed what could come next for outgoing Warner Bros. film chiefs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, including a possible move to Netflix. One industry observer wondered whether their filmmaker-friendly approach would even fit the streamer’s audience. The source told THR:

I understand the business argument buried in there. Red Notice remains one of Netflix’s biggest movies ever, with the streamer currently listing it as its No. 2 most-watched film of all time, just behind K-Pop Demon Hunters. Netflix’s biggest movies tend to be accessible new action films, thrillers, comedies and animation rather than quiet awards dramas. That does not mean the audience wants slop.

A popcorn movie can be ridiculous. I actively encourage ridiculous. Give me explosions. Give me movie stars doing impossible things. Give me a villain with a secret base inside an active volcano. Just make it good.

Red Notice is actually a pretty useful example of the problem. I watched it. I can’t say I particularly liked it, and I remember almost nothing about it. The whole movie has disappeared into that weird black hole in my brain where the most forgettable movies go to die. That's the problem, as I see it. There is a difference between making something broad and making something disposable. Netflix viewers aren't inherently dumb, and they can tell the difference.

A Popcorn Movie Can Be Smart, And It Needs A Pulse

Look at Netflix’s own all-time list. KPop Demon Hunters currently sits at No. 1. Don’t Look Up, Bird Box, and Leave the World Behind are also among its most-watched films. Those movies are wildly different from one another, but each has an actual identity.

Even Netflix says its members watch a wide range of material. Its first-half 2026 streaming calendar report included huge numbers for action, romantic comedies, animation, documentaries, anime and international programming.

So, yes, Roma was never going to put up Red Notice numbers. Nobody sensible expected it to. That is like discovering more people bought tickets to Top Gun: Maverick than The Banshees of Inisherin and concluding audiences hate good dialogue.

This is also why I think De Luca and Abdy going to the streamer could be interesting. Their Warner Bros. run produced filmmaker-driven movies that still knew audiences existed. Sinners, Weapons, Superman and A Minecraft Movie could hardly be more different, yet their slate showed there is room for personality inside commercial filmmaking.

I would absolutely let them experiment with theatrical releases. Netflix already owns the most powerful streaming distribution system on Earth. A genuine theatrical lane would give certain movies time to become events before they become another rectangle fighting for attention on the homepage.

Folks with a Netflix subscription probably do want popcorn movies. Fine. Give them popcorn movies. Just remember, we can still smell stale popcorn.

Florence Pugh had a nearly impossible job with Netflix’s East of Eden. Cathy Ames is one of those literary characters people arrive with opinions about already fully formed. Audiences have one major complaint about her take on the character, but I think they’re wildly wrong.

Netflix’s new seven-episode book-to-screen adaptation, created by Zoe Kazan, makes a different choice. Pugh’s Cathy is still capable of horrifying things, but the series gives her experiences and emotional context that Steinbeck largely denied her. Since East of Eden arrived on the streaming schedule on Oct. 1, that decision has become one of the biggest points of debate surrounding the show.

Cathy Ames Is a ‘Born Monster’

The clearest version of the argument comes from The New Yorker, which praised the series overall but argued that its biggest false note is softening Steinbeck’s villain. In the novel, Cathy is described as essentially broken from birth. The adaptation instead gives her childhood abuse and reshapes several early events so viewers can understand how she became the woman we meet later.

Steinbeck left very little room for that kind of interpretation. His Cathy lies, manipulates and murders her way through the novel with the moral temperature of a reptile under a heat lamp. She is a monster because, as Steinbeck presents her, that is simply who she is. The series gives her more motivation, and some readers think that fundamentally changes what the character is doing in a novel so preoccupied with good, evil and the choices people make between them.

That debate spilled onto Reddit after Pugh explained that she does not view Cathy as simply “pure evil,” and some longtime readers were not thrilled:

• u/sumoraiden: No Steinbeck is pretty clear she’s born a monster
• u/snoopwire: There are characters you can humanize, there are ones you can demonize. But when a story is a deep dive into good and evil in a society you can't flip them.
• u/LordJelly: The issue is Cathy as written IS a Lecter, Landa, Goth type character. She has opportunities to redeem herself and turns her nose up at them. She has no redeeming qualities, and there is no hint ever of her having any justification for what she does. She is black and white pure evil.
• u/broganism: The entire point of her character is that John Steinbeck was furious at his wife for having less sex with him when their son was born with health complications. Literally told her he wished their son would just die because the boy was taking up too much of her time. She left him. He wrote a book featuring the worst woman he could think of so he could tell everyone it was based on her.

I understand the concern. Cathy occupies a very specific place in Steinbeck’s moral architecture. The novel repeatedly frames her as something unnatural, almost an embodiment of evil dropped into a book obsessed with whether people can choose good over bad. Although I think people are conflating understanding a character with forgiving one.

Pugh’s Cathy Is Still Evil

Cathy still does terrible things in this adaptation. The show does not suddenly reveal that she was secretly misunderstood all along or send her skipping toward redemption. She hurts people. She manipulates them. She makes selfish, sometimes monstrous choices. What changes is that the Midsommar star can play a complicated woman like she likes, but she also has the scaffolding of a real human character, which she needs to play those scenes convincingly.

The English actress told Radio Times that she had to love Cathy enough to understand her, even while preserving the awful things she does. She said the series was trying to give the character context without pretending she escaped the consequences of her choices.

That strikes me as Actor 101. You cannot spend seven episodes thinking, “I am evil because the author says I am evil.” People rarely wake up believing they're monsters. They have rationalizations, wounds, appetites, blind spots and private logic. An actor needs access to that internal logic, or else the character might ring hollow or become boring.

One Reddit commenter, u/ConsistentGuest7532, made essentially the same point. They wrote:

Frankly, I find that version of Cathy scarier. A woman born with a metaphorical EVIL sign hanging over her head can be fascinating on the page, particularly within Steinbeck’s biblical framework. On screen, though, Pugh lets us glimpse the person underneath all that cruelty, which makes her choices hit harder.

The series gives Cathy reasons for what she does without excusing any of it. For my money, that distinction matters, and I think the Black Widow actress understands it perfectly. And hey, if this interpretation doesn't work for you, there are two earlier adaptations to revisit. The 1955 film starring James Dean takes a more humanized approach to the character, while the 1981 miniseries lets Jane Seymour embrace much more of Cathy’s “born evil” energy.

Florence Pugh is terrific, but she is only one piece of an absolutely stacked cast. Christopher Abbott completely won me over as the family patriarch, and now I’m even more convinced he'll make an incredible Charles Xavier in the MCU’s series of X-Men movies.

As the 2026 TV schedule dwindles to a close, everyday we get closer and closer to the premiere of HBO’s Harry Potter adaptation. The new series, set to premiere on December 25, promises to dive deeper into the beloved book series than the movies did, a luxury made possible by the absence of a theater runtime. This provides ample opportunity to include details and characters previously left out of the Potter films, and one Wizarding World OG knows which moment is first on his list.

Though it has been over a decade since Matthew Lewis last played Neville Longbottom, the endearing Gryffindor still holds a special place in the Me Before You actor’s heart. Often reduced to a sort of sidekick role in the movies, Neville’s Potter arc holds a lot more weight in the books, especially in the last three novels. FR Conventions asked Lewis one thing he hopes to see the in the show that wasn’t included in the movies, and I 100% agree with his answer:

The scene in question happens in the fifth book, Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix. Readers find out that the reason Neville is raised by his grandmother is because his parents, notable aurors who fought dark wizards, were tortured so terribly by Bellatrix Lestrange, Voldemort’s most loyal Death Eater, that their minds were ruined, reducing them to a life in St Mungo’s Hospital. It's such a huge moment, because it reveals a hardened past than many fans anticipated for the clumsy, naive, yet endearing Neville.

Suddenly, it all makes sense of why Neville is a Gryffindor, so unexpectedly brave, and so eager and willing to join Dumbledore's Army in Order of The Phoenix. As Lewis goes on to emphasize, it’s the whole reason Neville is who he is, and the Murder Before Evansong actor says he so badly wanted to act that scene out, even just to have “an extra layer” of Neville in his head while playing him.

Unfortunately, the Order of the Phoenix novel is 870 pages long, and as Lewis lamented, a lot was scrapped to be able to fit even the essential plot into a movie under 3 hours. However, the Fortune actor hopes the TV series offers Neville’s story a redemption of sorts:

Unfortunately, Neville Longbottom is just one of many Harry Potter characters that don't get enough screentime in the films, and I’m hoping that changes in the upcoming adaptation. Producer David Heyman has emphasized a fresh take on the series, separate from the Potter films, one that goes into deeper detail than anybody is expecting. The Season 1 trailers also give off a different vibe compared to the movies, including scenes removed from Harry’s point of view, such as Hermione’s interaction with other students on the Hogwarts Express, before she finds Harry and Ron’s train cabin.

This format has me excited for the potential origin stories and character development of so many other characters as well. So let's hope Neville, Luna Lovegood, the Weasleys, the Marauders and so many more get their due as HBO's Harry Potter goes on. Christmas Day can't come soon enough for this muggle!

Spoilers for the first season of Netflix’s A Different World lie ahead.

The 2026 TV schedule just recently hit audiences with a serious dose of nostalgia, thanks to A Different World. A continuation of the late ‘80s/early ‘90s sitcom of the same name, this Netflix dramedy series centers on a new crop of students at the illustrious Hillman College while also featuring appearances from fan-favorite characters. As a fan of the original show, I absolutely watched this one and, overall, I had a good time with it. However, there’s one issue related to the show’s timeline that I really need to bring up.

A Different World’s Timeline Is Reasonable, But It’s Negatively Impacted By One Thing

Created by Felicia Pride and executive-produced by franchise OG Debbie Allen, this new version of ADW takes a lot of cues from its beloved predecessor. Among the ways that it does so is by depicting an entire school year within a single season. Now, that definitely makes sense, and the original show did that well during its six seasons on NBC. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work as smoothly in the revival.

The sequel series offers up plenty of storylines involving its characters, like Deborah Wayne (Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert’s daughter), Shaquille Johnson (Ron Johnson’s son), Rashida Duvall and Amir Rodale. Pride and co. do their best to keep the narrative flowing, but it’s greatly hampered by the fact that the season only has 10 episodes. For that reason, within the universe of the show, weeks or even a month or so can pass between two episodes.

As a result, there are moments where characters might provide exposition to fill in gaps. One example of that happens in an episode later in the season, in which Amir reveals an indiscretion that’s only lightly set up in a previous installment. Not only that, but it feels as though viewers don’t get to know the characters as deeply as they could due to this being a relatively short season.

The original A Different World, a Black sitcom that’s seen a resurgence in recent years, had the benefit of being on the air when the traditional network sitcom model was commonplace. Because of that, each season had no less than 22 episodes, and it really felt as though audiences had plenty of time to become acquainted with Dwayne, Whitley, Ron, Freddie Brooks and those in their orbit. Sadly, we’ve now reached the point where the 13-episode model is a rarity in streaming, and that’s a shame for a show like ADW.

I Still Have Hope For A Different World’s Future

Netflix just handed a second-season renewal to this HBCU-set series, and I'm glad it won't join the list of shows canceled in 2026. There’s a lot of potential for the show to grow, and I’m excited to see these actors evolve with their characters as well. My other hope is that with the second season, Pride and her writers will further refine their approach to laying out the narrative. Of course, they’ll likely still be limited by the episode count, and if we could at least get episodes longer than a half hour.

Consistent Black representation in TV is essential (and a good point made by HBO’s Seen & Heard), so it's not lost on me just how significant ADW's renewal likely is to Black audiences. We'll see just how the show delivers more laughs, love and social commentary and, at the same time, I’ll remain optimistic about the timeline feeling more organic the next time around.

Stream both iterations of A Different World now using a Netflix subscription.

Netflix has an unhealthy hold on me when it comes to reality TV shows. No matter how many I consciously try to avoid, eventually I will probably watch them all. I wanted to avoid Wonka’s The Golden Ticket because I am against the AI use of Gene Wilder’s voice. It feels ghoulish and disrespectful to his legacy. Additionally, it’s not used well in the series. A voice actor could have done the job just as well, or an actor playing Wonka. Also, as a Big Brother fan, I didn’t want to see a familiar face, even for a few seconds.

Boredom and curiosity won. I watched Wonka’s The Golden Ticket, and I have some thoughts.

Warning: Spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

Wonka's The Golden Ticket Was A Very Stressful Reality TV Show, But That Worked

Wonka’s The Golden Ticket doesn’t come close to perfect. Only 14 percent on Rotten Tomatoes feels a little unnecessarily harsh, but not without merit. However, the hit Netflix reality TV show has some really strong aspects. Its stress level is one of its main strengths. You cannot watch Wonka’s The Golden Ticket without a bit of anxiety.

This works because Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory has always felt like a high-stress movie. The children constantly find themselves in life-or-death situations. The Netflix show feels less menacing than the movie and book, however, a sense of stress echoes throughout the show, as it did in the story's original inception.

I Was Really Happy About The Winner Of The Season

I have seen so many Netflix reality TV shows that I often notice patterns between them. A major one is not making the winner’s journey so obvious. Many reality TV shows have multiple main characters and don’t focus on the eventual winner until toward the end of the season. Sometimes that works, and sometimes that makes it hard to know and root for them. Wonka’s The Golden Ticket doesn’t have this problem.

We meet Gabrielle Wright early in the show. Though she isn’t a main character throughout, she plays an important role early in the season. We watch her winner’s journey unaware that that’s what we’re witnessing, even at the end.

By halfway through Wonka’s The Golden Ticket, I was rooting for Gabi. She was charismatic and a strategic game player. I didn’t always agree with her decisions, and she was frustrating at points. However, she plays a well-rounded and dynamic game. This makes her feel more deserving than some of the other contestants. She also didn't have her partner by her side for most of the season.

Gabi’s journey highlights that the show knows how to tell an engaging story without giving away the winner before the end. Other Netflix shows should take notes.

Wonka's The Golden Ticket Has A Lot Of Great Tributes To The Movie That Give It A Nice Dose Of Nostalgia

It’s really unfortunate that Wonka’s The Golden Ticket uses AI because there were many other ways it could have added Wonka without it. The show consistently proves it can pay homage to the movie in cool and inventive ways. The whole factory looks so much like the original.

Additionally, the series makes sure to emphasize how important the film has been to many generations. The people behind Wonka’s The Golden Ticket clearly love Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. It shows in the tone, details, and tributes.

Stream Wonka’s The Golden Ticket on Netflix.

If you’ve raised your eyebrow over Coach Beard’s evolving look in Season 4 of Ted Lasso, which is currently airing on the 2026 TV schedule, you’re definitely not alone. From the new blue eyes and the hairstyle to the piercings and changes in his wardrobe, things look different for Brendan Hunt’s character. In fact, he’s starting to look like a different character from the Emmy-winning comedy, and now I can’t stop thinking about it.

Personally, I’m finding it all a bit jarring, and maybe that’s the point. Ever since Coach Beard was told he’s old on New Year’s Eve, he’s been in a bit of a tailspin. Call it a midlife crisis if you’re looking for a label, but he seems to be trying to set himself apart as being younger and more hip in the eyes of those around him. The fact that it’s all manifesting externally seems like a cry for help that makes it all feel like someone needs to sit him down and have a conversation. Or at least they should let him know that sharing a hairstyle with Jamie Tartt may not be the best way to go.

In a case of not being able to unsee it once you see it, it’s hard not to notice that we’ve seen Coach Beard's latest haircut and bold fashion choices before. And it’s not a case of who wears it better. It’s really more down to what’s going on and why he’s choosing to express it this way. As one of the best examples of friendship on television, we’re at the point where Ted should probably be a little less subtle in his concern and address this a little more directly with his pal. However, until then, I’m also curious to see how much further the Jamie Tartt-ification of Coach Beard will go.

Since the start of Ted Lasso, Coach Beard has always been a bit of a mystery. Brendan Hunt's Beard has always provided a balance to Jason Sudeikis’ heartfelt optimism, as he's been a reliable second-in-command on and off the field. However, it’s also clear that whatever happened in the life he was leading in the three years since Ted’s departure in the Season 3 finale had an effect on him and has made him feel a bit off-balance. All around, it’s an interesting choice for that to manifest in the hair styling of Jamie Tartt, as perfectly laid out in the Instagram post below:

While critical response to Ted Lasso Season 4 has been mixed, the thing that truly makes one of the best Apple shows so special is the friendships. From Rebecca and Keeley to Roy and Jamie to Ted and Beard, it’s all friendship goals to aspire to. Hopefully, Ted can figure out exactly what’s going on with Beard before we get to the point where Phil Dunster starts playing him.

There is still the finale of Ted Lasso, which you can watch with an Apple TV subscription, to go before Season 4 wraps up. Even though we don’t yet know what the future of the characters is beyond that, I’m curious to see where things are left for Coach Beard and what he looks like by the time the end credits roll.

Mike Colter has played quite a few roles over the course of his career, but his turn as Luke Cage in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is arguably what he’s best known for. Plenty of fans were disappointed when the character’s eponymous show was canceled in 2018 after two seasons at Netflix. Colter’s Cage has since returned, though, having done so in the Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 finale and will return in Season 3. Now, Colter is opening up to CinemaBlend about why his reprisal feels as weird as one might expect.

Ahead of Cage’s return amid the 2026 TV schedule, it’d been some time since he’d shown up in the MCU, with his last notable appearance coming in Jessica Jones’ series finale in 2019. Now, Colter is in a position to not only play Power Man again but to reunite with co-stars Krysten Ritter (Jones), Finn Jones (Danny Rand/Iron Fist) and of course, Charlie Cox (Matt Murdock/Daredevil). While promoting his new show, Cupertino, Colter spoke out his DD Season 3 experience and what it was like being back with his castmates:

Talk about experiencing déjà vu. However, Colter also said this about his long-hoped-for MCU reunion:

Personally, I can understand why it would be a bit jarring for Colter to be back in Cage’s shoes so many years after getting out of them. I mean, playing the character again after being away from him for several years is one thing, but also joining his fellow Defenders for DD Season 3 is a whole other surreal layer. So I think a “time warp” – not one caused by the time travel established in Avengers: Endgame – is a fitting way to sum up the feeling. In spite of that, it seems like the Evil alum had a good time.

Before Cage’s return was confirmed, Colter spoke quite frequently about the prospect of it happening (even whilst keeping his reprisal a secret). Colter gave fans hope this past January when he teased that he’d had “conversations” with Marvel about returning. Not long after, the actor also said that if he returned as Cage, he’d want to explore his position as the “Sheriff of Harlem” even more. Now that he is officially back, Colter is grateful, though it’s also made for an interesting work schedule for him:

It’s my hope that Cage won’t be doing next to nothing in Daredevil Season 3, which will be the show’s last. Fans probably shouldn’t worry on that front, though, as everything that’s been teased about the season thus far suggests it’s going to close out the show on a high note. I’m still bummed up about it getting canceled, but I’m feeling better after hearing Matthew Lillard (who plays Mr. Charles) call the final season “explosive.”

Needless to say, I’m pumped to see how Mike Colter and the other Defenders alums figure into the narrative. Also, once the season drops, I’m eager to hear some other BTS tidbits about what it was like for Colter to shoot specific scenes with his castmates. We’ll see what happens with the bulletproof do-gooder when Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 premieres in March 2027 and, in the meantime, stream the first two seasons as well as Luke Cage with a Disney+ subscription.

If you’re not into anime, then I might blow your mind, because Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is actually one of the highest-grossing animated movies OF ALL TIME.

In fact, once you get through a lot of the Disney and Pixar movies on the list (and my GOAT, Super Mario Bros. The Movie), you’ll find Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle at number 30. It made over $790 million worldwide and did well on opening weekend here in the U.S., too, but it dropped off sharply in the weeks that followed.

Well, given that Infinity Castle is now available with a Netflix subscription, I thought I’d watch it since I used to like Demon Slayer, but hoo boy, after watching Infinity Castle, I remember just why I STOPPED watching Demon Slayer. I'll explain.

This Movie Has Way Too Many Characters That It Thinks I Should Care About

I remember when I first heard of Demon Slayer. One of my students was BIG into it, and he told me that it was on Netflix. I asked him if the series was still going on or if it was over, and he said that it was over. You see, I didn't want to get into a One Piece situation where I'd get into the show, and it had like a million episodes.

So, I watched all of the episodes that were available at the time on Netflix only to realize that the series wasn't over. In fact, there were SEVERAL more episodes to go. My student chalked this up to a miscommunication on his part, but I was into the show by this point, so I didn't mind. The only problem - there were WAY too many characters that I didn't care about. In fact, aside from Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Zenitsu, I honestly couldn't care less about the Demon Slayer Corps.

I stopped watching after Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train because that movie pushed a lot of the characters that I didn't care about. And now that I've watched Infinity Castle, I remember just how much I don't care about most of these characters, as many of them have important moments in this film, but I was still so bored!

Everybody Is Running, But They Don't Seem To Be Going Anywhere

Call me an Unc all you like, but my favorite anime comes from the ‘80s and ‘90s. Fist of the North Star, Dragon Ball Z, Cowboy Bebop–the thing I loved about shows like these was that they always felt like they were GOING somewhere.

Well, one problem I used to have with Demon Slayer was that it always felt like it was going NOWHERE. Yes, the show feels propulsive with all of the running and slashing, but it always felt like all that running was for naught, and the same could be said for Infinity Castle.

That's the whole conceit of this film. The main antagonist, Muzan, is hidden somewhere in the castle, and the Demon Slayer Corps is out to kill him, but I feel like the whole movie (which is 2 hours and 35 minutes, by the way) is just a whole lot of running to nowhere. What a rip!

The Action Is Enthralling At First...But Then Grows Tiresome

Lastly, when I started Infinity Castle, I thought, Oh, yeah. NOW I remember why I used to love this. The fight scenes are so cool! And they are cool…for a little while. The animation when the Demon Slayer Corps do their breathing techniques is vibrant and expressive, but watching that for over two hours is a real slog! I mean, by the hour-and-a-half mark, I had to get up and walk around since I was FALLING ASLEEP.

It doesn't help that none of the demons are all that interesting, either (IN MY OPINION). If anything, Infinity Castle reminded me that certain anime are just not for me. Needless to say, I won't be watching Infinity Castle - Part 2. I guess I'll just have to go back to watching peak anime…like Attack on Titan.

Sean “Diddy” Combs is still making headlines while serving his four-year (or 50-month) prison sentence and, last week, he caught attention for the lifestyle he’s allegedly been living behind bars. While it was previously said that Combs had settled into his life at FCI Fort Dix, it was just recently alleged that the ex-rapper had fellow inmates tending to his needs during his stint. Now, insiders are claiming there’s another side to this situation. Supposedly, Diddy made some hefty promises to the men who’d been assisting him in the pen.

Up to this point, the Sean John founder has allegedly been “running that prison like he owns the place” and, supposedly, “people compete to get close to him”. That same source who spoke to Rob Shuter for his Naughty But Nice substack also alleged that 56-year-old Combs “basically created a VIP section behind bars.” That’s, in great part, due to the men who’ve reportedly been helping Combs (who’s since been moved to solitary confinement). And, in exchange, he’s purportedly been offering them cash compensation, jobs and party invites:

As noted by Shuter, it was NBC that initially broke the news that fellow inmates were reportedly completing tasks for him like cooking, cleaning and handling fan mail. The report even claimed Combs would receive Chinese-style massages from one man. Despite the promises of compensation, another source suggests his fellow prisoners shouldn’t expect him to follow through with his promises of work and White Parties. The unnamed individual sums up that assumption as follows:

Something that’s been relatively consistent when it comes to reports about Combs is the notion of him being strategic in prison and trying to “manage his narrative” during his stint. Investigative reporter Cheyenne Roundtree – author of Bad Boy for Life: The Rise and Fall of Sean Combs – even alleged that Combs made a “forbidden” phone call to a member of his team to discuss a blog post. Roundtree’s coverage of the Grammy winner has been quite extensive, as she’s also broken down her thought process on his ability to thrive professionally amid controversies.

As for the controversy that led to Diddy’s imprisonment, he was arrested in 2024 in connection with a federal investigation and charged with several offenses. Combs went on trial from May to July 2025 and was ultimately charged with two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution under The Mann Act. He was, however, acquitted of the more severe charges, which were sex-trafficking and racketeering. Combs was sentenced in the fall of 2025 and, since then his appeal attempt has been moving forward as well.

When it comes to what Sean Combs might do when he’s released, it’s been suggested that he wants to make a comeback. Roundtree also believes he’ll make one major career move – create a documentary to discuss his account of his legal issues. Of course, we don’t know for sure whether Combs’ post-prison plans will involve any of the people he reportedly made promises to, but what is known is that after a recent change, he’ll now be released on January 21, 2028.

It's not often that I pre-order a book sight-unseen, but when it comes to Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing series, I'm apparently willing to make an exception. Like many other fans of the romantasy series, when a book titled Untitled Empyrean (Not Book Four) became available to pre-order earlier this year, I didn't hesitate to add it to my cart. Despite not being entirely clear about what I was buying, I appreciated that we were being told up front it wasn't Book 4, and figured that if it was Empyrean-related and Rebecca Yarros wrote it, I'd read it.

Considering the way Not Book Four shot to #1 on Amazon (leaving Rebecca Yarros "speechless") after it was announced in April, it's evident I wasn't anywhere near alone in my enthusiastic take-my-money approach. It was later revealed that the title of the book was Threshing Day, and that it would focus on 13 Threshing stories from characters featured in the Fourth Wing books, including Xaden. Cool!

I Was Quick To Buy It, But Not Planning To Be Nearly As Quick About Reading It

When I say that I was on the fence about reading the new book, it was less an issue of if and more an issue of when. My annual obsession with Big Brother has once again contributed to me being behind on my TBR. Also, the upcoming Sarah J. Maas book A Court Of Splintered Harmony release (later this month!) has me in a frenzy to finish rereading the previous ACOTAR books before this new one comes out.

Excuses aside, as fun as Threshing Day sounded, it also sounded a bit like 204 pages of bonus material that I could read at some point in the near-ish future. But then it was in my hand and in my Audible library and one thing led to another... You know how it goes. Now that I've read it, I can confirm that it kind of is 204 pages of bonus material, but I'm also really glad I ended up picking it up sooner rather than later for a couple reasons.

I Forgot Just How Much I Love These Characters

Guys, Threshing Day had me mentally trying to figure out how to tackle my existing TBR while also working in a reread of the first three Fourth Wing books, because I miss these characters so much! Rebecca Yarros explored POVs outside of protagonist Violet Sorrengail in Onyx Storm, and we've gotten bonus chapters from Xaden's point of view, so Threshing Day's approach isn't entirely new. Still, it's really great to get a look into the minds of several characters from the Fourth Wing books, specifically during their first encounter with their dragons.

If your memory of the series is rusty, Threshing is the day cadets at Basgiath War College head out to interact and attempt to bond with a dragon (and try not to get killed in the process). Each of the 13 characters get a chapter in Threshing Day, and what transpires is a bit more than just a rider and dragon interaction. I'm going to avoid getting too specific here, but the relevance of the time period for each rider factors in, and there are other characters who appear in some of the scenes, giving us glimpses of things that were going on that we didn't see in the original novels.

This book is meant to be read after you've read the three Empyrean books, to be clear.

I went into Threshing Day not knowing much to expect beyond the general description, which is why I don't want to go into more detail about what I enjoyed about it, but among my favorite chapters were Liam's, Bodhi's and Sloane's. I loved getting a look at what was going on with each of them during this specific point in their individual timelines. These chapters are really just snippets of the characters' stories, but they're memorable snippets and feel significant. I'm sure I'll have more thoughts when I do actually reread the series and remember things that came up in these scenes.

I Loved Listening To The Audiobook, While Also Having The Hardcover Deluxe Edition On Hand

I ended up listening to the Threshing Day "Wing and Claw Collection" audiobook on Audible, but I have no regrets about preordering the Wing and Claw Collection hardcover deluxe edition as well, as I ended up referring to it several times while listening to the book. It was a really great reading/listening experience that I'm glad I didn't miss.

For one thing, each character's chapter starts with details about the dragon. While these notes are mentioned in the audiobook, the hardcover makes for a nice reference guide for that info for anyone who likes to revisit things like a dragon's species, age and recorded number of riders. There's also a color illustration of each dragon included, and that added an extra layer to my enjoyment and appreciation of the story.

Even if you're planning on listening to the audiobook, I'd recommend picking up a copy of the deluxe edition of the physical book for your collection while it's still available. There's also a standard edition, but the illustrations are black-and-white and you won't get the sprayed edges with that one.

In addition to the Wing and Claw Collection audiobook, it looks like there's a GraphicAudio dramatized version coming later this month as well.

We're still waiting for confirmation about Fourth Wing Book 4's release date and title. We're also eagerly awaiting updates about the Fourth Wing TV show that's in development for Amazon. Hopefully we'll hear more news about the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation soon. There's lots to look forward to for fans of the Empyrean series.

Of all the upcoming Marvel movies on the way, the one I’m most anticipating is absolutely the new X-Men film. When the cast was announced at D23, I realized right away that a group of talented actors had been chosen to play the iconic roles. But I’ll be honest, I’ve felt kind of neutral about the casting of Christopher Abbott as Professor X. But now that I’ve seen him lead his new Netflix show, my excitement has only grown.

I Hadn't Really Seen The New X-Men Actor In Anything Until Now

I’ve known of Chris Abbott for a while. I remember he was on Girls way back when, but otherwise I’ve mostly seen him in a few supporting roles over the years here and there. And, I mean, if you look at his work, he’s primarily known for independent films. The higher-profile movies he’s done are The Wolfman and Kraven the Hunter, which both flopped.

I had a sense he was a good actor who takes chances and cares about the work more than the notoriety. Now I’ve seen him really lead something thanks to my binge of East of Eden with a Netflix subscription, and I have a lot more to say.

Why I'm Sold On Chris Abbott's Professor X After East Of Eden

In East of Eden, Abbott plays the role of Adam Trask, who’s at the center of this book-to-screen adaptation based on John Steinbeck’s magnum opus of a novel. We track the life of Adam from a child to the days after he serves in the U.S. Army in the Indian Wars. Abbott takes over once Adam is a war veteran who wanders back home to reunite with his estranged brother Charles (Mike Faist).

It’s not long after the brothers reunite when something new tears them apart. The arrival of a woman named Cathy (Florence Pugh) who’s been almost beaten to death. Adam instantly falls in love with her, while Charles is (rightly) untrusting of the mysterious woman. I won’t tell the story of East of Eden much further than that, but it’s a multi-generational spanning epic that has Abbott’s character in the middle of things the whole time.

After seeing the likes of Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy play Professor X, I think there are a few qualities that made them perfect for the role. Both of them have a very distinguished quality to them; they are discerning, idealistic, and have a certain sex appeal, too. Professor X is also a wheelchair user, but you never really feel like he isn’t capable or is allowing his disability to rule over him.

Chris Abbott’s East of Eden role isn’t the same as Professor X, and Adam Trask’s story takes place from the late 19th century to 1918. Though there are some shared qualities between the characters that made me excited to see what he does with Professor X. While watching the very bingeable drama, I found myself saying to myself, “Yeah, I see it! He’s our Professor X.” And I just have a good feeling now that he’ll both bring something new to the role and do the character justice.

You can watch East of Eden now on Netflix, and get ready for the latest in the X-Men movies, set to hit theaters on May 8, 2028.

Right on the heels of Neagley’s premiere on the 2026 TV schedule and its predecessor, Reacher, getting renewed for Seasons 5 and 6, the spinoff has been picked up for Season 2. That’s right, the series led by Maria Sten will be returning, and of course the leading actress and fans of her and Reacher had similar A+ and remarkably on-brand reactions to the news.

About two weeks after Neagley premiered to good reviews and Reacher Season 4 ended, the spinoff was picked up. As someone who adores this spinoff and is dying to see more of Neagley, Hudson, Keno and Renee, this news thrilled me. It also, obviously, excited its star, Maria Sten, who reposted the news on her Instagram Story and wrote:

I can’t think of a more on-brand reaction for her to have. As you know if you’ve watched the series with an Amazon Prime subscription, Neagley loves cereal, and specifically Cocoa Puffs. In fact, at one point in Season 1, she literally filled a thermos with cereal and some milk so she could eat it on the go. So, Sten reacting to the news with a statement about the breakfast food is both wonderful and fitting.

Fans reacted to the Season 2 news with similar levels of excitement on Amazon’s post about the renewal; take a look:

• Neagley said nothing as she ate her Cocoa Puffs, but smiled. -celsotavora
• Reacher and Neagley both renewed let’s go!🔥🙌🏽 -giselle_barajas1234
• Better had! I need it by tomorrow thank you! 🙌🏽 -1nonly_bxbeauty_85
• Yayyyyy LESGOOOOO Neagley S2 & Reacher S5 & S6 incomingggg -kjs_bpbts
• I could handle five seasons! Thank you! -thriftstoreonepercent

I too could handle at least five seasons of Neagley (if not more). While I love how Reacher goes to a new place and features new characters every season, I am so here for Neagley going deeper with the same ensemble season after season and really diving into their dynamic as well as their personal histories. I can’t wait to learn more about Neagley, Hudson, Keno and Renee, and I’m stoked we’ll get to see them work another case together.

Greyston Holt, who plays Hudson Riley, is also thrilled about this too, as he posted on his IG story:

Like Sten, Holt had a very grateful and fitting reaction to this news. When I spoke to the cast at the Season 1 junket, they were also all excited about the potential to continue playing their characters and evolving their relationships with each other. Now, they get to, and I can’t wait to see it!

So, now it’s time to grab a bowl of cereal and start a countdown, because Neagley Season 2 is officially coming. In the meantime, you can stream both Season 1 and the first four seasons of Reacher on Amazon Prime.